The driver of a Panther Valley School bus who slammed her brakes, injuring middle school students, was placed on probation Thursday, despite judge's concerns that she still has not taken full responsibility for what she did.

Judge Joseph J. Matika placed Rebecca Nicholas, 44, of Coaldale, on three years probation on 24 counts of endangering the welfare of children.Matika said the parents of the children on the bus indicated they felt there was no need for Nicholas to go to prison.However, when Nicholas entered her guilty plea on Oct. 18, 2016, she did not state she was at fault. On Thursday, she said she applied the brakes hard at an intersection where she said an oil truck was and wanted to avoid an accident.Matika said because of his doubts for what happened he ordered her to write 24 letters within the next 24 days to the parents of the children expressing an apology for what happened and expressing remorse.He said he wanted the probation office to get a copy of the letters and if the office personnel feels that what Nicholas states in the letters is not a sincere apology they can move to revoke her probation.Matika said, "I'm concerned she hasn't accepted responsibility for what happened. I only heard an inkling from you of responsibility."Public defender Matthew J. Mottola said before the incident Nicholas had no other brushes with the law.He added, "A moment of bad judgment" led her to court. He said the entire situation has affected her and ruined her good reputation of 43 years.Assistant District Attorney Brian Gazo, who prosecuted the case, said he agrees with Mottola that the parents of the victims did not request a jail term be imposed. He said even the arresting officer, Summit Hill Police Chief Joseph Fittos, did not think a prison term was warranted. But he added, "This was a serious situation which can't be ignored."According to the arrest report filed by Fittos, Nicholas had been employed as a bus driver since September 2012.Fittos said Nicholas was driving a Kistler Transportation bus when she picked up students at the bus stop at the corner of Ludlow and Walnut streets at 8 a.m. on March 12, 2015.As she pulled out, the bus monitor was talking to the students. The students were noisy and not paying attention. They were asked to quiet down, but would not.Nicholas "forcefully applied the brakes," causing students to be thrown against the backs of the seats in front of them, injuring them.The students reported the incident upon their arrival at school. A school nurse examined them, and 17 students reported that they had bumped their heads or faces on seats, one hit a window and another had scrapes on an elbow and another had a bruised cheek.The students were sent home and their parents called police to report the incident.At the plea hearing Nicholas said her foot slipped off the brake. Matika then told Mottola to speak with his client about her plea because he said if she didn't admit to the facts as presented by Gazo he could not accept her plea. After speaking with his client, Mottola returned to the courtroom and said his client admits slamming on the brakes, which Nicholas said was correct.Matika also ordered her to pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation, render 124 hours of community service, get a mental health evaluation and pay court costs of about $1,000.Nicholas and Kistler Transportation, of New Ringgold, have been sued in civil court by the parents of two of the injured students. The suit was filed by Edward J. III and Margaret L. Smith, of Summit Hill, the parents of Falon L. and Emma J., who were passengers on the bus when the incident occurred. They are seeking damages of more than $50,000. The case is pending in county court.