KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Olathe Public Schools Board of Education signed off on a new three-tier bell schedule for district schools that will go into effect beginning next school year.
In a 6-1 vote, the board signed off on the following bell times:
- High schools and Prairie Learning Center — 7:40 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.
- Middle schools and Heartland Early Childhood Center — 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.
- Elementary schools — 8:55 a.m.-3:55 p.m.
Discussions around changing the bell times for schools started over a year ago and were in response to a bus driver shortage that plagued the district.
As a result of the bus drivers shortages, the district was forced to pack buses with 65-70 students, implement rolling blackouts and had drivers serving more than one bus routes among other things.
The district tasked a committee with surveying parents and staff on what they wanted to see for the bell times.
After receiving thousands of responses from staff and parents, the committee made its recommendations to the board.
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