BOULDER, Colo. — The state’s head of pupil transportation was recognized recently for her efforts to bolster security training at all of its school districts.

Child Safety Network (CSN) awarded Susan Miller, the transportation supervisor at the Colorado Department of Education (DOE), with its highest state honor for excellence in school bus safety and security.

Susan Miller, who represents Colorado as state director in the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), collaborated with CSN, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Colorado DOE to begin training school districts in ways to make school buses more difficult to target.

On Oct. 23, leaders from across the state spent the day at the Boulder Valley School District transportation department to learn how to train other industry professionals to identify suspicious activities and resolve threats quickly and safely.

“CSN requested that the TSA send trainers from Washington, D.C., to sites in Boulder and Colorado Springs,” said Ward Leber, CSN’s founder. “CSN invited [the state’s] 171 school districts to volunteer to learn and become a force multiplier, by becoming trainers themselves. Susan Miller organized the events and deserves this award for her critical role in protecting students, and for her many years of service dedicated to Colorado’s pupil transportation system.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award,” Miller said. “Working at the Colorado Department of Education and with all the amazing people in the school transportation community in Colorado is truly my honor and privilege. I believe this training is extremely important for the safety of the approximately 365,000 students we transport daily, as well as for all of the dedicated school transportation staff that work so diligently to provide safe transportation for our students.”

CSN’s mission is to develop, execute, and administer programs that result in safer school buses and students.

“Upon the creation of the First Observer Program (Plus), I learned very early that pupil transportation professionals are some of the hardest working and most dedicated individuals I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” said Bill Arrington, CSN’s senior advisor on school bus security and former TSA manager for surface transportation nationwide. “I applaud Susan Miller of the Colorado DOE, and Ward Leber of CSN, for continuing to partner with the TSA to train our pupil transportation professionals to be better prepared to protect children. I would also like to thank David Cooper and Andrea DiSpirito of TSA for continuing my legacy, and their dedication to keeping our children safe and secure.”