For more than three decades, bus driver June Henderson has been a steady presence at the Bishop’s School – someone students saw first thing in the morning and again when heading home after a long day. Over her 31 years of service as a bus driver, Ms. June quietly shaped the rhythms of student life, all while offering care, consistency, and a calming smile that so many came to count on. When asked about her favorite memories of Bishop’s, June responded with a heartwarming answer: “My favorite memories were watching the students and school evolve.”
“She has lovingly served generations of families and literally thousands of students,” wrote Director of Transportation Matt Baranowski in an email announcing her retierment. “While safely transporting them to and from school, sporting competitions, field trips and other educational opportunities… June has never had an incident.” That record speaks for itself – but her impact goes far beyond safety statistics. It’s the personal memories that stand out most.
“She was always kind and friendly to everyone,” said Celeste Oder (‘26) – a passenger on June’s bus. “We often talked after long weekends or breaks, and she never sounded happier than when describing that she had just visited her family.” For Celeste, it was those small moments of conversation that left a lasting impression. “The other thing that made her light up was dogs,” she added. “June was always so happy to say hi to Lucy,” a dog belonging to a former Bishop’s parent.
Another one of June’s passengers, Amaan Khan (‘27), remembers Ms. June as one of the first people who helped him feel part of the Bishop’s community. “She was my bus driver from the start, and… kind of the first person… from Bishop’s that I got to interact with,” he said. “She kind of radiated what Bishop’s was all about – the kind of community, the belonging.” As a new student, commuting to school for the first time, Amaan said having someone like Ms. June there meant a lot. “It was my first time ever commuting to a school beyond like a five-minute bike ride,” he shared. “To have a stable person like Ms. June as my bus driver, that kind of helped me through it. It was really great.”
He also remembers the little lessons she taught him, often just by example. “I would miss the bus a lot… eighth, ninth grade,” he said, laughing. “She’d always try to wait a couple minutes extra for me. I know the other kids on the bus weren’t too happy about that, but she was nice and waited… and then she’d give me a little bit of a talk, ‘You gotta get here a little earlier.’” He credits her with helping him build better habits. “That was definitely a good value to have instilled.”
She didn’t just drive students from point A to point B; she helped build the entire map. “June established all the routes we use today,” Mr. Baranowski shared. Her route planning was shaped by her deep knowledge of the San Diego area and logistical thinking, looking for places where the “safe loading and unloading of students” was possible, which was “based on the demographics of the school, which change every year.” Mr.Baranowski specifically noted that “she had the knowledge of where a 40’ bus could get in and out.”
From when Bishop’s had just a single bus to now managing a full transportation department with 8 buses and 25 total vehicles, June was there through every step of that growth. “June has seen the Bishop’s transportation department grow,” Mr. Baranowski continued. “Her contribution has been monumental to the community.”
Before her impactful career at Bishop’s, June led an already remarkable life. She worked as a professional welder, helping construct ships at NASCO and even working at a nuclear power plant. After welding, she transitioned to becoming a school bus driver for the district, eventually finding her way to Bishop’s – a place she’d call home for the next 31 years.
Even with that impressive background, June never bragged or made a big deal of her accomplishments. When asked what she loved most about her job, she answered with honesty and humility: “Getting the kids riding and safe, getting them to school on time, and making sure everything was running smoothly.”
To her fellow drivers, she was both a mentor and a friend. Jerry Landhan, a colleague and fellow driver, recalled how valuable June was not just behind the wheel, but as someone who helped others adjust to the job. “June’s strong point really was that she was there for the school night and day,” he said. “They could always depend upon calling her, and all the kids she drove respected her.” He added, “She knew all the rules and helped most of the drivers with adjustment to Bishop’s school policies. She was very dependable.”
That dependability became part of her identity. She rarely missed a day of work. She showed up early, stayed late, and made sure every detail – from bus logs to safety checks – was handled with care. And even now, in retirement, she’s thinking of others. When asked what advice she’d leave behind for students and staff, her answer was simple, but meaningful: “Keep up the good work, do your studies, and be safe.”
As June moves into a new chapter, she’s looking forward to spending more time with her beloved family and finally stepping away from the early mornings, tight schedules, and packed buses that have shaped her days for decades. Whether cruising on her motorcycle or just enjoying the peace of home, we hope she finds the same care and warmth she gave to so many.
June Henderson’s name may no longer appear on the route sheet, but her influence will be felt every day – in the safe systems she built, the values she passed on, and the memories shared by generations of students, faculty, and friends. She drove buses, but more importantly, she helped drive this community forward.
