Staff Spotlight: Stuart Hoogerhyde’s Second Career as a Bus Driver

This post is part of the Lynden Schools Staff Spotlight series

Stuart Hoogerhyde served the City of Lynden’s citizens for 30 years as a Lynden police officer. With one career complete, Hoogerhyde wasn’t ready to stop serving, now in his fourth year as a contracted bus driver for Lynden Schools. 

The Role

Originally from northern New Jersey, Hoogerhyde started a path westward after high school. He went to college at Dordt in Iowa and met his wife, Karen. They eventually married, moved to Lynden and raised three children—Adam, Amanda and Nic—and he served as a police officer for 30 years. It was during that time he obtained a CDL (commercial driver’s license) and offered up his services occasionally as a substitute driver for Lynden Schools.

After a four-year stint as the supervisor of building and grounds and head custodian at Lynden Christian Schools he decided the next chapter in his life was driving for Lynden. 

“During my brief time working for the school district and the Lynden community, I have appreciated the high quality of employees that I am privileged to work with,” he says. 

There is also still a connection to his previous work. “It warms my heart to know several fellow school employees who were former DARE students of mine, as well as former youth group members when my wife and I were involved in youth ministry,” he says while joking it also makes him feel old. “I especially feel very blessed to work with the amazing employees at the bus garage, who are both professional and caring in the way that they serve the students, families and Lynden community in safely transporting the students to and from school and all the extra-curricular activities.”

Through it all, Hoogerhyde says he really does “enjoy going to work each day.” 

Getting to Know Stuart

Outside of work, Hoogerhyde values family time—the couple now has two grandchildren—along with gardening, watching sports (especially hockey) and reading. He’s also hopeful he can put a recently acquired travel trailer to good use. If nothing else, the Lynden students can attest that he’ll be well equipped to safely drive it.