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Apollo Elementary staff honored after charter bus fire; principal says quick action saved students
Summary
Apollo Elementary staff were recognized at the March 11 Brevard school board meeting for evacuating fifth-graders from a chartered bus that caught fire on I‑95 on Feb. 12; principal Amy Delago named staff members credited with the rescue and described the incident as a narrowly avoided disaster.
Apollo Elementary School staff were recognized by the Brevard Public Schools Board on March 11 for their response to a charter bus fire Feb. 12 on Interstate 95 that involved returning fifth-grade students from a field trip.
“Thanks to the heroic actions of our dedicated staff … the situation was swiftly handled, ensuring that our student safety was our number one priority,” said Amy Delago, principal of Apollo Elementary, as she introduced staff members at the board meeting. Delago named Jada Pola, Kathy Marshall, Laura Powers, Sam Harper, Ms. Myers and Mr. S., and said Ms. Thompson and another fifth‑grade teacher could not attend the board meeting.
Delago told the board the bus “was engulfed in flames, the entire bus,” and praised staff calmness and training for the safe evacuation. “Their level headedness and commitment to students’ safety turned what this could have been a disaster into a very successful story,” she said.
Board members thanked the teachers and staff, and parents who supported the school. Several board members noted social media posts from parents praising the staff response.
Ending
The board took a moment for photographs and public appreciation; the board said it would ensure staff receive formal recognition and that the district would review any safety or logistical lessons learned from the incident.
