For the second year in a row, Guthrie Public Schools will start and end their school days at the same time. And for the second year in a row, parents are concerned about traffic congestion when it comes to delivering and picking up their children from school.
Superintendent Dr. Mike Simpson says the start and end times are largely driven by the transportation department.
“Standardized times were put in place for the 2013-14 school year so our kids riding shuttle buses could be delivered much sooner to each school site. When fully staffed with drivers, I believe this goal was accomplished,” Simpson said.
Last year, the school district began starting the schools at 8:15 a.m. and ended classes at 3:10 p.m. for all sites. Prior to the change, school times were staggered. Guthrie High School had a start time of 7:45 and an end time of 2:45. At the Junior High, classes began at 7:50 and finished at 2:45. The elementary schools incurred more of a minor start and end time change.
Parents, whom pick up their children from Guthrie Upper Elementary and Fogarty, say when the high school students were released at the earlier time that it helped the traffic clear out for the elementary student pick up.
By starting all school times at 8:15 a.m., school officials wanted to cut the time down 45 to 60 minutes that a child had to spend on a school bus. In addition, fewer buses were needed to pick up and transport students from school-to-school and lower traffic congestion at the schools with the fewer amount of buses. Families with multiple children in different school buildings were able to pick their children up in one location by having them transported from one school to the other for one convenient pick up.
Simpson says the school district is fully aware of the high traffic areas that many parents have shown concern and that it is not a perfect scenario.
“As you can imagine, with the phenomenal growth our district has experienced, along with the challenges of each bus traveling to all six sites and most of the growth being bus riders, our routes have been at best a fluid situation.
The school district covers 232 square miles. By comparison, Deer Creek, the closest similar sized district covers 71 square miles. Stillwater covers 125 square miles with almost double the number of students.
This year, the district has contracted the leadership of the transportation department out to a company that specializes in that task. The company, Transpar Group, also coordinates the transportation for Oklahoma City, Moore and Tulsa school districts.
“During the summer, several discussions have occurred regarding the start and end times of school. Ultimately, the Transpar Group needs to better understand our issues so we don’t start the year with a different schedule than last year and then have to modify it for a third time in two years,” Simpson said.
“I believe this would be more frustrating for parents than the situation we have now. I am hoping a recommendation which will make our situation better will be forthcoming from this team of problem solvers but they simply have not seen enough of our issues in motion to give a solid recommendation.”
Simpson says if the Transpar Group does offer additional changes, they will consider making those changes as early as this school year.
“If they do suggest a change in start and end times for different sites, we will do that at a natural break in school so parents, staff members and the many others who care for our children before and after school will have time to make adjustments. What that change would look like remains to be seen,” Simpson said.
Following last year, the district was 12 drivers short of a full staff. Bus drivers continue to be recruited by the district with higher paying wages and benefits.
“Pay scales and benefits have been altered to make us more competitive so we can hopefully staff this department properly,” Simpson said.
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