Dallas Center-Grimes is proud to work alongside 17 veterans each and every day. We are incredibly thankful for your service to our country and to our students.
- Shelly Bailey – Food Service – Dallas Center Elementary
- Gordon Davidson – Transportation
- Jenifer Eligh – Administration
- Steve Ford – Custodian – Dallas Center-Grimes High School
- Daryl Haynes – Maintenance
- Chris Pappas – South Prairie Custodian
- Jeff Roorda – Transportation
- Patricia Schipper – Preschool Teacher
- Eric White – Teacher – Dallas Center-Grimes Middle School
- Jeff Wolfe – Transportation
- Chris Adams – Transportation
- Aaron Stoltz – Transportation
- Randy Martin – Transportation
- Zach Krueger – MS ASL Interpreter
- Rhonda Fletcher – Middle School Associate
- Emily Bassett – Teacher – Heritage Elementary
- Britney Macha – Dallas Center Elementary – Associate
“I’m Responsible for those Lives” – Aaron Stoltz Driving DCG Students After 25 Years in Army National Guard
Aaron Stoltz knows a thing or two about driving big vehicles.
“I drove straight truck, dump truck, grain truck, milk truck and a combination tractor trailer,” he says.
Aaron’s driving journey starts with a school bus.
“When I first got out of high school, I worked on a farm and my boss was a bus driver and said hey, we need subs and boom, right out of high school, I was driving a school bus,” Aaron says.
The passion of getting kids to and from school safely, is still a priority for Aaron.
“When you’re in the front seat, you are responsible for the safety of those sitting in the back,” says Stoltz.
That responsibility has always been a part of Aaron’s life. Not only on the big yellow bus, but also during 25 years serving in the Army National Guard. Most of that time, in the air.
“I flew helicopters (UH1’s) in Iowa for 17 years and then I moved to Missouri and worked at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri for 10 years and flew UH 1’s and eventually OH 58’s,” says Aaron.
While he wasn’t involved in combat missions, his work in the military was critically important. Job number one was always being ready.
“It was a lot of pre trip work.” says Aaron. “Preflight checks. Weights and balances. You are looking at how many troops can I load and where can I load them?”
Aaron is spending his Veterans Day with our students on bus #7. His view of this holiday is a unique one, but also one that bonds our heroes together.
“I’ve been with several enlisted officers that said I did my 6 years and my 8 years and I got out. But they were deployed 2, 3, 4 times,” he shares. “I did 25 years and was never deployed, but they said we can’t do our job, if you aren’t doing yours.”
To all of the Veterans working in DCG, we say a heartfelt thank you.
We did have one more question for Aaron. Are there any similarities between flying a helicopter in the Army and driving a school bus on Highway 44?
“I’d say they are very similar. You are still responsible for those lives.”