Bend-La Pine Schools in need of volunteers and bus drivers

(Update: adding video and comments)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Leaders on the Bend-La Pine School Board fielded questions on bus driver shortages, graduation ceremonies, racial issues and school curriculum during a listening session Thursday evening at Caldera High School.

It was the school board's first Q&A listening session with a new format of pre-approved "theme" questions.

Superintendent Steve Cook touched on the importance of similar start times for all of the district's schools. In order for that to happen, the district will need to hire more bus drivers.

“It is our goal to hire bus drivers and we have elevated pay with our bus drivers most recently in the last week," Cook said. "We are doing a full court press on job fairs and recruitment to increase the number of drivers we have."

The school district is also looking for more volunteers. Before COVID-19 the school district had 10,000 registered volunteers. That number is now down to only around 1,000.

Bend-La Pine Schools also would like to increase its volunteers with its Future Center, where students can connect with professionals. Board member Marcus LeGrand has volunteered in that program before.

“The thing we would love to have is more industry people being able to donate their time and their resources, because they are very needed," LeGrand said. "If you can volunteer, please do so, because it is so important.”

Prom and in-person graduation ceremonies are also back this year. Realms High School in Bend had the district's first prom last Friday. It was also the school's first ever prom.

High school graduations will be back on school campuses this year.