Bridgewater School District mulls changing school start times to enhance transportation services
A final decision will not be made until December or January.
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One New Jersey school district is looking at possibly changing school start times to optimize transportation services.
The president of the Teacher's Union told the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education that divisiveness might be brewing over a plan to change start times for schools in the coming school year.
A final decision will not be made until December or January.
According to the superintendent’s office, the goal is to redesign bus routes to accommodate full-day kindergarten and the shift of sixth grade to the middle school by optimizing existing fleets and resources. There are mixed reviews when it comes to the proposed change.
“I would prefer it to be the time that it is now because we have our own plans throughout the day, some people work, doing it later would make it uncomfortable for everyone,” said Daniela, a parent.
These students are seniors at the high school, so they would not be impacted- but they still had an opinion on the change.
“Personally, I do like the early start time because then you get out earlier and can do extracurriculars,” said Natalie, a high school student.
“I know that it depends on how far you live because Bridgewater is such a big township. I'm a high school athlete, it's good to end earlier so there's more time for school,” said Mia, a high school student.
Two options were presented to the Board of Eduation meeting on Sept. 9. Option 1 will have the high school starting at 7:20 a.m., followed by the middle school at 7:35 a.m., then primary schools would begin at 8:35 a.m. and intermediate at 9:05 a.m.
The second option would have the middle school starting first at 7:30 a.m., followed by the high school at 8 a.m. and then the primary schools at 9:20 a.m. These changes in time come down to transportation. Currently, the district has 83 buses running that do between two and three trips a day. The superintendent was not available for an interview with News12.
Both of these options reinstate instructional time that was trimmed four years ago - when the school district wrestled with a transportation crisis, stemming from losing a contractor one week before school started.
