2nd annual Kindness Rally is next week!

Marion Community Schools will celebrate the efforts of its students and staff to prevent bullying at a special end-of-the-year event, the Kindness Rally, and the public is invited to come join in the fun.

The Kindness Rally is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2014, at the Marion High School gym. Features will include bounce houses, an obstacle course, dunk tank (where principals and other administrators will take the plunge), food, and more.

Tickets to be used for the carnival attractions will be four for $1, and proceeds will fund continuing anti-bullying efforts throughout the school system. The Marion High School FOR TAXII Club (Friends of Rachel / Teens Against Xtreme Inappropriate Interactions), which helps organize and run the Kindness Rally, will also be selling T-shirts and bracelets as a fundraiser.

Doors will open and ticket sales will begin at 5:30 p.m.

The Chain Reaction Ceremony is set for 6 p.m. The ceremony will feature the MHS JROTC presenting the flag, along with performances by the MHS and McCulloch Junior High School choirs, the MHS band, presentation of Student Kindness Awards and messages from district administrators. Students from each school will also participate in the parade of kindness chains from each school, with each link in the chains representing a kind act noticed this school year.


Marion Community Schools is proud of our students and staff who are starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion and making positive changes in our schools and community. We hope that students of all ages and their families, along with community members, will come and help us celebrate at the second annual Kindness Rally!

Regular start/end times resume next Monday, 4/21

The Marion Community Schools alternate schedule is ending this week. Starting next Monday, April 21, all MCS schools will return to their regular start and end times.

Click on the links below to view your school's schedule:

• Allen Elementary
• Frances Slocum Elementary
• Kendall Elementary
• Riverview Elementary
• Justice Intermediate School
• McCulloch Junior High School
• Marion High School
• Tucker Career and Technology Center

Because this alternate schedule allowed us to make up all days missed this winter, the last day of school for students is now set for Thursday, May 22.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact your school's office.

Busing changes, start/end time shifts take effect next school year

Marion Community Schools is shifting to a more efficient, cost-effective bus transportation system starting next school year that will also alter start and end times at our schools.  

On Wednesday, March 19, 2014, the MCS Board of School Trustees approved the recommendation (based on the work of a panel of staff members from various departments and schools) that the district move from a three-tier transportation system to a two-tier system.

Right now, MCS picks up K-4 students in one round of busing, 5-8 students in another, then after elementary drop-off sends that first group of buses back out to pick up 9-12 students. So we are sending buses into the same areas of the city three times. With the change approved Wednesday night, one round of busing will pick up K-4 students, and a second round will pick up 5-12 students. 

This change represents the most cost savings. A single-tier system (K-12 students picked up in one round of busing — which is what many other Grant County school systems already do) would have required additional buses be added to the fleet, which would come with an additional price tag that would have canceled out some of the savings achieved by eliminating busing tiers.

Marion Community Schools believes making this change now is the responsible thing to do. Though we are not in emergency need of this change — like some school systems across the state, including Muncie Community Schools in neighboring Delaware County, are — a proactive decision at this point is needed to make it possible to continue offering transportation in the future.

"We want to be good stewards," said Superintendent Brad Lindsay. "Our goal is to continue to provide transportation for our students. We have to think differently and creatively to be able to continue to do so."

To make this change possible, start and end times for classes at each building will be shifted as follows for the 2014-15 school year:

Elementary (K-4)

• Monday-Friday: 7:25 a.m. drop-off time; 7:45 a.m. starting bell time; 2:15 p.m. dismissal bell time

Intermediate (5-6)

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 8:35 a.m. drop-off time; 8:55 a.m. starting bell time; 3:40 p.m. dismissal bell time
• Thursday, Friday: 8:50 a.m. drop-off time; 9:10 a.m. starting bell time; 3:40 p.m. dismissal bell time

Junior High (7-8)

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 8:35 a.m. drop-off time; 8:55 a.m. starting bell time; 3:40 p.m. dismissal bell time
• Thursday, Friday: 8:50 a.m. drop-off time; 9:10 a.m. starting bell time; 3:40 p.m. dismissal bell time

High School (9-12)

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 8:15 a.m. drop-off time; 8:35 a.m. starting bell time; 3:55 p.m. dismissal bell time
• Thursday, Friday: 8:30 a.m. drop-off time; 8:50 a.m. starting bell time; 3:55 p.m. dismissal bell time 

These changes will take effect in the 2014-15 school year. Marion Community Schools will continue to communicate with our families to make this transition as smooth as possible. 

"Basically this is virtually the same schedule that we have in place currently, with very minimal changes," said John Butcher, president of the Marion Teachers Association. "This is keeping our students' needs at the forefront."