Dala Grunder, transportation staff member

Dala Grunder is a pillar of the D38 Transportation Team. In fact, she is nearing 50 years of service in D38! She first filled the role of bus driver back in the 1970s, and about 10 years ago, she transitioned to a role in the transportation department front office.

The Communications Team sat down to talk with Dala about her tenure in D38 and why she has chosen to make School District 38 her longtime workplace home.

Almost 50 years in D38 is incredible! What initially drew you to a career in transportation in our school district?

At the time, I was a single parent with two little boys, one of whom had just started kindergarten. I needed a job, and my cousin, who had started driving a bus the year before, encouraged me to come over and drive a bus. Initially, I subbed, and for the first year, I drove for a driver that went to school every afternoon. I filled in for him during the afternoons. Back then, whoever you drove for, paid you. They wrote you a check or paid you with cash. When the special education route came open, I was asked about trying that. I always thought when I first started that this was perfect for having kids in the district, and it'd be great until something better came along.

What is your background with D38? How about your kids?

I have two kids. They went to school in D38, and so did I. I went to Lewis-Palmer High School back when it was located at the current site of the Grace Best facility. I started in D38 in eighth grade, and at that point in time, we had Palmer Lake Elementary, which was through sixth grade, and then LPHS, which was eighth through twelfth grade.

What has kept you with D38 for so many years?

Most importantly, it’s the people I have worked with through the years