The Electric School Bus Series shows how superintendents and fleet managers across the United States have pursued school bus electrification in their own communities. This edition covers Sipayik Elementary in Pleasant Point (Sipayik) Reservation, which has exemplified how a rural, Tribal school can merge environmental stewardship and cultural preservation with fleet electrification.

This article is based off an interview with Reza Namin, Superintendent of Maine Indian Education; Dan Morang, Sipayik Elementary Principal; and Dana Mitchell, Sipayik Elementary Tech and After School Program (ASP) Coordinator. 

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Sharing geography with Maine, United States, and New Brunswick, Canada, the Passamaquoddy Tribe today consists of three self-governing communities: Pleasant Point (Sipayik), Indian Township and St. Croix-Schoodic Band of Passamaquoddies. Maine Indian Education (MIE), which is comprised of the educational programs and schools serving Maine’s Tribal communities, is governed by and serves the Passamaquoddy community, along with the Penobscot, and Maliseet communities, and operates three schools: Sipayik Elementary School, Indian Township School and Indian Island School.

MIE schools integrate traditional Native American cultural education alongside standard curriculum requirements. Their focus is on preserving and teaching Tribal languages, traditions, and cultural practices while providing students with a comprehensive education. Its mission to provide high-quality education that bridges traditional Native American values with contemporary academic standards was foundational in the decision to transition to electric school buses (ESBs), beginning with Sipayik Elementary School, which serves Passamaquoddy students residing in Pleasant Point (Sipayik) Reservation. With help from the 2023 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean School Bus Rebate Program (CSBP), MIE electrified the fleet of buses serving Sipayik Elementary School students. The school currently operates two electric school buses and has one more on the way, providing a quieter, healthier ride for its students and community. 

Why Sipayik chose electric school buses

Student safety, environmental conservation and operational savings were at the forefront of MIE’s decision to start electrifying its buses. MIE selected their ESBs based on safety records and purpose-built design that provided a fully configurable interior to best accommodate student needs.  

An important element of student safety considered was the impact of emissions from diesel-burning school buses on student health. According to MIE Superintendent Reza Namin, the Passamaquoddy community suffers from higher rates of respiratory conditions. This observation mirrors national level studies that show Native American children have higher rates of asthma than non-Native children, 13% compared to 8.6%.

Namin also reflected on how this transition supports MIE’s commitment to environmental stewardship. “Each electric bus we put into service eliminates approximately 25 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually,” he says. “As stewards of our Tribal lands and resources, this significant reduction in our carbon footprint aligns perfectly with our cultural values and our commitment to environmental preservation for future generations.” Sipayik's electric school bus transition not only aligns with the MIE’s mission to embody Passamaquoddy values but also showcases the well-rounded benefits of school bus electrification.

Lastly, MIE viewed school bus electrification as an opportunity to save money that could ultimately be reinvested into the classroom. By saving 80% in energy costs and 60% in maintenance costs, Namin is looking to reinvest more resources into educational programs. This transition not only provides sustainable transportation operations for future generations but also highlights responsible community resource management. 

Using electric school buses in language preservation and curriculum

Sipayik Elementary has also found a creative way to integrate Passamaquoddy language learning into its electric school bus transition.  

As electric school buses are much quieter than their diesel counterparts, they come equipped with sound that plays automatically when operating at lower speeds to warn pedestrians of the oncoming bus. Sipayik Elementary staff, including Principal Dan Morang and Tech and After School Program (ASP) Coordinator Dana Mitchell, replaced the default safety sounds with an elder-recorded Passamaquoddy travel song. This song is especially significant to students and the community as the song is sung by Wayne Newell, a tribal elder who passed away in 2021.  

Recording of the Travel Elder Song played through the electric school bus speakers:

“The success of integrating travel songs has encouraged us to look for more ways to weave traditional knowledge into modern sustainable practices, making our electric bus initiative a model for culturally responsive environmental education,” Namin shared. Additionally, Morang and Mitchell are working with teachers to explore innovative ways to expand ESB application into more subjects, ranging from Mathematics to Language Arts. The goal of integrating electric bus technology into the curriculum is to strengthen cultural connections, preserve traditional knowledge, develop practical skills and provide exposure for future career paths. The table below provides a comprehensive look at how MIE is considering integrating electric school buses into classroom teaching. 

Partners and Advocates

“Through all [MIE’s] work, the aim is to empower students to become strong, confident individuals who are proud of their heritage and prepared to be leaders in both their Tribal communities and the broader world,” Namin says. As a result, a pivotal force in this transition was the involvement of Tribal elders, who championed the project by advocating for solutions that align with Passamaquoddy values. MIE leveraged their community partnerships to hold an electric school bus launch celebration with a traditional blessing ceremony for the buses and a space for Tribal elders to share stories about the evolution of transportation for the community. This strong partnership and advocacy from the community bridged generational perspectives, uniting the community to back the Sipiyak Elementary’s electric school buses.  

MIE worked closely with utility companies and local electricians to conduct site assessments and install chargers, ensuring a smooth and efficient infrastructure rollout. MIE also worked closely with the electric school bus manufacturer on funding applications, charging infrastructure solutions, and deployment planning for Sipiyak Elementary School’s transition.

The students themselves have been a central partner in this transition. Students have shown excitement about riding these buses and expressed pride in their community. Mitchell recounted a story of a cross country meet where students from the other school were excited to talk about electric school buses with Sipiyak Elementary students who expressed immense pride in their bus having no tailpipe emissions. This partnership with the students exemplifies how this transition allows them to actively participate in environmental protection.  

What’s the latest?

MIE is currently operating two of three awarded electric school buses and is expecting its third in early 2025. The buses are supported by newly installed fast-charging pedestals that allow for shorter charge times. Despite some initial deployment challenges, proactive collaboration with the bus manufacturer’s technical support team helped to resolve issues efficiently.  

As the winter wraps up, MIE has gained important insights on how to optimize electric school bus performance during the winter months. Additionally, Mitchell notes that last spring on a 20 degrees Fahrenheit day with a strong windchill, the bus driver noted that the electric bus “was ready and already preprogrammed to heat and there was no impact on the battery.” 

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Advice for other school districts

Namin, Morang, and Mitchell highlight three things for other school districts to consider in electric school bus adoption:

1. Start Early: Allowing ample time for community input, infrastructure assessments and grant applications to ensures a well-paced, successful deployment process.
2. Build Partnerships: Collaboration with utility companies, vendors and community stakeholders is essential to streamlining deployment and resolving unanticipated challenges efficiently. Namin urges Tribal School Districts to partner with more established manufacturers to ensure security and expertise throughout deployment. Additionally, with strong community support documentation and community health impacts, the transition to electric school buses will be community-focused and strongly integrated.
3. Plan Thoroughly: Detailed planning for route deployment will help ensure that the transition is successful. Namin highlights the importance of reliable maintenance services and training. Planning electric school bus deployment thoroughly is critical to overcoming unexpected hurdles and ensuring long-term success.  

Conclusion

MIE and Sipiyak’s journey highlight the transformative potential of sustainability efforts combined with cultural teaching. Namin notes, “By implementing electric school buses, we're not just changing our transportation system – we're living our values, protecting our environment, serving our community and preparing our students for the future. This initiative represents a perfect harmony between our traditional responsibilities as environmental stewards and our modern role as educational innovators.”  

MIE has worked to create a replicable model for other rural and Native school districts by leveraging their community partnerships, planning, and flexibility in working to overcome challenges.