Transportation Questions
1. When will the time of school start be announced for new schools (in particular Highcroft)? Are there individual exceptions allowed before reassignment?
The start times for schools are recommended by the Transportation Department to the School Board for their approval. These are given for information with time for input before they are adopted. A request can be made for a transfer because of start time but these have not generally been approved.
2. How can you justify driving 18 miles one way for a few children, wasting 1-1/2 hours travel time? Also, 5:30 am being at bus stop with no after school transportation for activities?
Based on the question, it is deducted that you live in a spot node and are assigned to a high school. As growth has occurred in certain parts of the county, students are assigned to high schools where there are spaces available. These spot nodes are reassigned to the same school as the node from which it came as soon as possible, usually when new schools open.
3. Will anything be done next year to make bell schedules fairer for the elementary schools? Why can’t the elementary schools go earlier and the high schools go later since there is research to show that this is better for students? If you cannot reverse them, can’t the elementary schools be put on a rotating bell schedule so the same schools don’t suffer from the late bell schedule year after year? Not to mention that the buses are often very late to the latest bell schedule schools due to back-ups from the earlier schools. So now those kids get home even later! It is the elementary age children that need to come home and play outside and when they get home so late there is very little time to do so. Plus it is extremely difficult to get them to after school activities. It is not fair for the same parents to be subject to these difficulties every year. I know there’s been a study about this and the community wasn’t overwhelmingly interested in switching bell schedules but that’s because all the schools with the early or middle bell schedule don’t want to give them up!
The bell schedule is reviewed each year. The final recommendation is made by the Transportation Department to the School Board. The School Board makes the final decision. They do receive input from the public prior to making the final decision.
4. How does the district decide what hours the school operates? Why would an elementary school end at 3:45 and high school at 2:15?
The start time and ending time are based on the required amount of time for class and the bus schedule. Using a three-tier transportation plan dictates some of the times. With the availability of buses there will always be some schools that start early and some that start late thus some dismiss early and some dismiss late. (See other questions regarding the decision process)