Frequently Asked Questions
Will transportation times change?
Yes. Bus pickup and drop-off times, as well as car pickup and drop-off for YMS and YHS, will be updated to reflect the new start and end times. Families will receive detailed bus information before the start of the school year.
When can students be dropped off at school?
Students may be dropped off when doors open:
PVE and YES: 7:25 a.m.
YMS and YHS: 8:00 a.m.
For safety reasons, please do not drop students off before these times, as supervision may not be available.
Will after-school latchkey be available?
Latchkey services currently available at PVE and YES will not be affected. This includes before-school latchkey for 2-hour delay schedules.
Will after-school activities be impacted?
There may be minor adjustments to after-school programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities, including practice and event start times. Additional information will be shared by athletic departments, coaches, and sponsors.
How will this impact families with students in multiple buildings?
We understand that different start times may require adjustments for families who drive their students to school. For example, a parent with both an elementary student (7:50–7:55 a.m. start, doors open 7:25 a.m.) and a middle school student (doors open 8:00 a.m.) may need to drop off the elementary child as close to 7:50 or 7:55 as possible without being tardy, then take the middle school student to school at 8:00 a.m. The staggered schedule improves bus riders' transportation efficiency, and we remain committed to minimizing inconvenience for all families.
How does this help the district financially?
Staggering school start times allows us to operate transportation more efficiently by enabling bus drivers to complete multiple routes, typically an elementary route followed by a secondary route. This reduces the need for additional drivers, buses, and overlapping routes, and over time will allow us to reduce our bus fleet size. As a result, we lower costs related to staffing, fuel, maintenance, and bus replacement/overhead while continuing to provide safe and reliable transportation for our students.
How is SEA 1 affecting school budgets?
SEA 1 is a new Indiana law that changes how property tax revenue is collected and shared. Because schools depend on local property tax dollars for operations such as transportation, maintenance, non-certified staffing, and utilities, this law will reduce the funds available to schools over the next several years. In simple terms, it means schools will have less local funding and will need to be more careful with spending while continuing to support students.