FORTVILLE, Ind. – While most students returned back from summer break to find books on their desks, students in Fortville found Wi-Fi modems on their buses.
The Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation installed Wi-Fi on all 38 of their district’s buses. District officials said the new installation gives students more opportunities to complete homework while on the way home or to a school sporting event.
Mt. Vernon Superintendent Shane Robbins said it also gives students a way to connect with their families.
"This is such a technology-driven world, and our kids thrive in it. They love it,” said Robbins. “It helps control some of the attitudes and the personalities on the bus so that our bus drivers can focus on driving the bus, and not so much look up in that mirror to make sure things are fine in the back of their bus."
Each student who boards the bus will receive a 4-digit code from the driver that allows online access. The district has a filter in place to block students from visiting blacklisted web sites.
Wi-Fi installation on the buses cost the school system $2,400 per bus. In total the district spent about $91,000, which doesn’t include monthly data charges. The money came from Mt. Vernon’s transportation and technology fund.
Robbins said the district plans to install Wi-Fi on new buses as new routes are added.
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