Education Committee Approves New Elementary Bell Schedule

The members of the Centennial Education Committee unanimously approved Transportation Director Wayne Robinson's request to alter the arrival and dismissal schedule for the district's elementary schools when the 2012-2013 school year begins.

The new full-day schedule will look like the following:

• will begin classes at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m.
• Davis Elementary and will begin at 9:00 a.m. and dismiss at 3:45 p.m.

"The new schedule will help us provide more timely service for the students in the morning and afternoon," said Robinson during Wednesday night's meeting. "It will also alleviate the problem of students waiting for a long time after school for the bus to arrive."

Centennial Superintendant Dr. Jenny Cressman asked for the issue to go in front of the school board as quickly as possible to allow parents enough time to make arrangements with after school daycare services.

Committee chairperson Jane Schrader Lynch and fellow members Mark Miller and Betty Huf also asked Robinson to notify parents as early as possible what the bus stop pick ups and drop offs will be for the new school year.

Robinson told the committee that he preferred to send the yellow index cards with bus assignments late in August to allow for any last minute new enrollments or other changes.

"When parents get that card, they think the schedule is set in stone," said Robinson. "They might miss the slight alteration and a kid could miss the bus."

He said he would look into posting a preliminary schedule online earlier in the month, with the hard copies coming at their usual time.