From Wave3.com / By Rob Wells / Aug. 4, 2026 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The first day back for another academic year is underway for more than 11,000 students in the New Albany-Floyd County School District (IN).

Early Tuesday morning, bus drivers were out at the Prosser Career Education Center where the fleet is parked to make certain everything was ready for a smooth day on the routes. A new technology called “Stopfinder” is also helping.

“Stopfinder is an app that parents have that can tell them the daily bus schedules, because some of our routes do change due to new additions and subtractions of stops,” said Brad Carriveau, the district’s Director of Transportation.

At Green Valley Elementary School, staff welcomed the 350 pre-K through fourth-grade students with plenty of hugs and smiles.

“It’s going to be a great school year. We have a theme this year—it’s a Disney theme, but also focusing on kindness. So we’re saying Green Valley, a school where kindness creates magic,” said Green Valley Elementary School Principal Melissa Saxon.

While paper, pens, and books are staples for every classroom, cell phones are not. This comes after Indiana passed a “bell-to-bell” law on July 1 banning cell phones in schools.

“Students are to have their cell phones in their backpack and turned off during the school day, and our parents have been very responsive to that,” Saxon added.

Meanwhile, for the 1,800 students in grades nine through 12 at New Albany High School, administrators say foundations built at home equal success in the classroom.

“We just ask parents, guardians, and students—what we always say is to please be our partners in order to guarantee our students’ success, even when it comes down to those negative consequences, and so we really just want to prevent that,” said New Albany High School Principal Michelle Ginkins.

District officials added that while staffing levels are good this school year, they are still looking to fill around 12 vacant bus driving positions.

“We’re interviewing about once a week right now, and best of all, we do all of our training here,” said Brittney Hardin, Transportation Operations Manager.

Those interested in career opportunities can find more information at nafcs.org.