Dear Parents of Vinton-Shellsburg students,

I would like to share several important updates regarding our transportation process. We are excited to share that the Vinton-Shellsburg School District has partnered with UniteGPS to enhance transportation safety and efficiency. Crosswalk K-12 is a web app provided by UniteGPS that’s designed to make the transportation process more convenient, safe and streamlined for students, families, and drivers.

Starting the first day of school, all students riding the bus will be asked to use their student ID to scan on and off the bus. If they do not have their student ID, they can keep a photo of the barcode on their phone/device in place of the student ID. This will enhance safety by ensuring any student who rides a bus can be accounted for at all times.

Two ID cards and a lanyard will be passed out on back to school night by the classroom teachers. We are asking that one card be attached with the lanyard to an easily accessible spot on the students book bag or computer bag. The second ID card can be placed wherever the student chooses. A bus and a transportation representative will be available on elementary back to school night, at both Shellsburg and Tilford, Monday, August 21st, to answer any questions and take you through a tour of the new program if you so choose.

Scanning will be used anytime a student enters or exits a school vehicle. This includes sporting events and field trips.

Soon, you will be able to enjoy numerous features on Crosswalk K-12. This includes Route View where you can track your child’s location on the bus through a live map. There is also the Student Stop Report to review ridership data. The Messages feature on the app will allow parents to receive important announcements from the transportation department, like weather announcements and delays. Parents will also be able to directly message the transportation department as well. This will be rolled out a month or two after school starts after we ensure all kinks are worked out with the scanning portion of the process.

As always, we are committed to ensuring our students are as safe and secure as possible as we transport them to and from school each day. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.

Welcome back and let’s have a great year!

Sincerely,
Garrett Wittmer
Transportation Director