Transportation
Our transportation team is excited to launch our new bus app, Zonar My View. This project is important to us to ensure families feel secure when students ride buses.
-Mr. Dennis Mills, Transportation Director
Dennis MillsTransportation Director389 E. Jackson, Martinsville, IN 46151Phone 765-342-5597 | Fax 765-349-5268
Bus transportation is available to students living in Baker, Clay, Green, Jefferson, Ray, and Washington Townships.
Elementary
Intermediate
Ronald K. Bell Intermediate Academy
MiddleJohn R. Wooden Middle School
High School/AlternativeMartinsville High SchoolArtesian Center for Excellence
Please contact your driver or the transportation department should you have any concerns about your student. Sharing this information with us will allow for increased awareness.
The MSD of Martinsville attendance area is an address in Baker, Clay, Green, Jefferson, Ray and Washington Townships. Please contact the Transportation Department at 765-342-5597 to determine which elementary school serves that address.
A 1.5-mile walk zone has been established for the MSD of Martinsville. Shuttle areas have reduced this distance for grades 6-12. Please see shuttle page for shuttle options. Please contact the transportation department to determine if an address has bus transportation.
Students on buses should conduct themselves in the same manner as in the classroom. A brochure is distributed during the year with several rules and procedures listed. That brochure is available in the forms section.
Should a problem arise the bus driver may contact the parent, school principal, or issue a written School Bus Conduct report. The report will be sent home with the student for a parental signature. The seriousness of the conduct and/or the number of previous reports determine the next actions taken.
Please contact the driver, transportation director, or school principal should you have a question or concern.
The following rules are posted on the bus. The bus is also equipped with video/audio recording equipment.
Guest riders are not allowed on several routes due to capacity issues. Please check with the driver in advance. Guest riders must have a parental note that includes the name of the student assigned to the bus, the guest rider’s name, date, and parental signature. Multiple guests may not be allowed due to capacity issues. Shuttle students in grades 6-12 may not have guest riders.
Students should report to the designated stop 5 minutes early. The driver may, but is not required to wait at the stop. Stop location, traffic conditions and route schedule may prevent the driver from waiting extended periods of time.
The MSD of Martinsville Transportation Department is available to assist you in obtaining your Commercial Driver License to operate a school bus. There are several required steps listed below that will require your attention and efforts. The department will assist you and successful applicants will be reimbursed for several costs if you remain with the department as a driver employed by the MSD of Martinsville.
Many MSD of Martinsville drivers began as substitute drivers. Substitute drivers earn $94.69 per day. Most drivers for the district have double runs and earn between $94.69 to $108.60 daily. Insurance and PERF are available for district drivers.
Please contact the department if you are interested or if you have any questions.
Requirements include:
Novel Coronavirus Covid-19
The health and safety of our students is extremely important to us as a district. Each day, we are monitoring new information from the Centers for Disease Control, state and local health departments and the Indiana Department of Education concerning the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19. We will continue to look to them for guidance.
We encourage our families to talk to their children about the importance of healthy habits as well.
Should we receive information that this or any widely-spread virus is prevalent in our area, our school district is prepared to take immediate action. We do have preparedness plans focused on such scenarios and will utilize them in coordination with any advice from health officials.
Resources
Indiana State Department of Health CoronavirusCenters for Disease Control and PreventionWorld Health OrganizationFrequently Asked Questions about Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
Resources for Children’s Health and Health Education
Handwashing Videos from the CDCHandwashing Reminder PostersKids Health (Nonprofit Children’s Health System)Academy of American Pediatrics Healthy ChildrenJust for Kids (a comic exploring Coronavirus)
Safety
Tim FoleySafety Director389 E. Jackson St, Martinsville, IN 46151Phone 765-342-6641
The safety of our students is most important to us as a district. Our goal is for each child to thrive in a positive and safe educational environment. Each year our district invests in new technology, implements new procedures, and attends professional development seminars in an effort to stay ahead of any unforeseen situation and protect our district. We have implemented a visitor check-in system at all schools, added more video cameras, renovated entryway doors, were one of the first schools in the state to request hand-held, metal detectors offered by Governor Holcomb’s office, and most recently added a 3rd full-time resource (police) officer to our district.
Our students engage in fire, tornado, and safety drills which is not only mandated by the Indiana Department of Education but the right thing to do. We do not usually discuss our safety drills for the purpose of keeping our procedures away from those who may not have good intentions.
We would like to make you aware of our procedures and communication plan concerning the possibility of inclement weather:
Communication
Before school, every effort will be made to have a decision by 5:30 AM and communicated to you and your family in the following ways:
Early Dismissal
As weather conditions in our area can change quickly, an early dismissal may be necessary. We will make a decision concerning dismissal as early as possible, next, call parents through School Messenger, and finally, communicate information to our website, social media, and local media.
We encourage you as a family to develop a weather plan. For example, if parents or guardians work, where should your child go if there is an early dismissal or a two-hour delay? Please be mindful that weather prediction is just that, a prediction. We will drive roads, use science, and apply common sense before making any decisions. Please also keep in mind that our school service area spans many miles and while in your area it may just be flurries, we could very easily have icing conditions in another. We hope this information helps as we work together planning for inclement weather events.
Parents can replay automated messages from the district by calling 765-343-7001.
