District 300 shifts bell times

For students and parents in Community Unit District 300, adding to new attendance boundaries, bus routes, schools and freshman academies next year will be new bell times.

But don't fret: The changes are minor. A special committee has recommended the high school bell times remain the same, while middle school times would shift 25 minutes earlier and elementary schools would change by no more than 15 minutes.

District officials said the new bell times will allow the district to transport students more efficiently.

District 300 privatized its transportation contract last year, hiring Durham School Services to bus its kids.

"It's actually prompted by the new schools because next year we'll open up our third school, and Durham was behind this," Associate Superintendent David Scarpino said.

Like this year, when Durham had some initial difficulties busing students who attended the district's two new elementary schools, Durham's stiffest challenge next year will be a new school west of Randall Road.

Under the boundary proposal the school board is likely to approve next week, current Hampshire High School students will move to the new school at Big Timber and Ketchum roads and be joined by about 300 students who were previously slated to attend Jacobs High School.

To help transport new students along new routes, Durham would have 20 additional buses at its disposal under a proposal submitted to the school board.

High-schoolers would still have to get up the earliest under the recommended bell times. Their school day would start at 7:40 a.m. and end at 2:55 p.m. -- the current high school bell times.

Middle-schoolers would start class at 8:45 a.m. and let out at 3:30 p.m. Elementary schools would either go from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. or from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

District 300 officials said the staggered elementary school times would cut down on the number of buses and drivers the district needs.

"If we had all those buses going at the same time, we'd have a traffic jam in front of the schools," board President Joe Stevens said.

The board is scheduled to vote on the new bell times, as well as the bus bid and attendance boundaries, on Monday.

Durham's routers will start mapping the new bus routes after the board votes on attendance boundaries.

The district plans to notify parents of the new routes and bell times at the end of February, Scarpino said.