District 300 students return to class

Students were back at school Thursday across Community Unit District 300 - although for many of them, it was a new or dramatically altered school.

The middle and high school boundary changes that took effect Thursday morning moved hundreds of kids from east-side schools to less-crowded buildings on the west side.

District officials said despite new bus routes, they haven't experienced major transportation glitches yet.

"We had a really good day, despite the rain, which was horrible during morning route time," Transportation Director Donna Bordsen said.

The rain and typical first-day bugs delayed some buses, but Bordsen said the district received fewer complaints than in the past.

"We certainly didn't get the volume of calls (the district received) in the past years," Bordsen said. "I think we were a lot better prepared this year."

The full busing picture, however, may not emerge for several days. District 300 officials acknowledged issues getting students to school and home on time less than a week after school started last year.

Thursday was the first day of classes at the new Hampshire High School, a sprawling, state-of-the-art building and the largest and costliest undertaking in the district's history.

Hampshire High School staff, wearing purple, the school's color, greeted new and returning students Thursday and helped them find their classes.

"Now, it's actually serving the purpose it was built for," Principal Chuck Bumbales said. "We're really ready to hit the ground running with our student achievement."

Hampshire Middle School has undergone extensive renovations to turn the building, which formerly housed Hampshire Middle and High School, into solely a middle school.

"We have a brand new school," Principal Jim Wallis said. "Even the students who were here last year are unfamiliar with the building."

With the high-schoolers gone and classroom space freed up in the building, the mobile classrooms where the entire eighth grade had classes last year are gone.

"I think it's nice for us all to be in one building and be a community again," Wallis said.

Trent Halpin is the only new principal in District 300 this year, taking over from Denise Finch at Lincoln Prairie Elementary School.