BPS has announced that they are going to be adjusting school start and end times. This is the third time that they have changed the schedule which has raised some questions.
Teachers and administrators have high hopes for this change as it seems to be a quicker and more efficient way of transport.
“I think just looking for efficiency across the board when it comes to bussing students to and from school,” Bismarck High School Principal David Wisthoff said.
“While no schedule can solve every logistical hurdle, this move directly addresses our primary goal of transit efficiency,” Principle of Wachter Middle School Sharon Espeland said.
Looking from the middle school perspective, later start times have been implemented and are expected to have a boost in mental health, better attendance and higher academic performance.
“Spefically at the middle school level, the shift aligns with extensive research suggesting that adolescent students are more engaged and perform better with a later start time,” Espeland said.
Wait times for buses are expected to be reduced with this new schedule.
“We have already seen significant improvements in after-school wait times at the middle school,” Espeland said.
Buses seem to have a reasonable time period getting from school to school.
“I think this change has been awesome for the high schools when the buses are all waiting for us out there,” Wisthoff said.
Middle schoolers receive the long end of the stick from this change in that their day is the longest in the district. However, they get out much earlier than the other schools.
“The benefit of an earlier dismissal will likely have a major positive impact on students’ energy levels and morale,” Espeland said.
One of the concerns with this change is how it will affect parents that pick up their kids after school.
“Any schedule adjustment requires a period of transition. However, since the shift only moves the end of the day by 15 minutes for middle schoolers, we expect the impact on family routines to be minor. We are committed to providing families with ample notice to adjust their afternoon arrangements,” Espeland said.
Aspiration continues to flow in the minds of teachers as this change really does seem to have a progressing and lasting effect on the district.
“While we always remain open to improvements, this new schedule is intended to be a long-term solution. We expect these times to remain static for several years to provide consistency for our students, staff, and families,” Espeland said.
“The daily buses to and from the Career Academy, all those pieces, it’s kind of putting a puzzle together. So hopefully we get the puzzle together right this time, and we’re just able to ride this out for the foreseeable future,” Wisthoff said.
