Platte County R-3 Board approves bell changes

District says safety, efficiency and cutting costs are factors

Lee Stubbs
Citizen Editor

For the better part of three decades, the Platte County R-3 School District has employed a north/south bell schedule. Students at the Platte City (north) campus begin classes at approximately 7:40 a.m. and are dismissed for the day at 2:40 p.m. Students at the Barry (south) campus are in school from approximately 8:55 a.m. to 3:55 p.m.

That schedule will change, beginning with the new school year in August.

At its meeting last week at Barry School, the Platte County R-3 Board of Education unanimously voted to change the district’s bell schedules. The new schedule basically calls for a split of start times between kindergarten through fifth grade students and sixth through 12th grade students and is as follows: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for Platte County High School, Platte City Middle School and Barry School; and 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. for Rising Star, Siegrist Elementary, Paxton School and Great Beginnings preschool in Platte City and Pathfinder Elementary at Barry.

“Now is the right time to make this change,” R-3 Superintendent Dr. Mike Reik said. “There are many benefits, including the safety of our students and efficiency of our bus fleet operation.”

Last month, Reik and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rob Gardner presented the proposal to the Board, which included examples of the logistical reasoning behind it. At the top of the list is relieving the logjam of cars, buses and students that converge at the district campuses during short periods of time each day. District officials say congestion would be reduced by as much as 50 percent with the new schedule, thereby making it safer for students.

The new schedule would also allow the district to more efficiently manage its bus fleet and decrease its annual bus purchase/lease program costs.

Reik said the district could save as much as $630,000 during the current year and possibly $1.8 million the next three years with the new schedule, which could help alleviate the impact of any possible state cuts to education funding that are being discussed in Jefferson City.

“Making this change will allow us to not only forego the purchases of 4-6 buses, but it will also allow us to increase the number of seats available on each bus,” he said. “This is crucial as we handle future growth.”

Reik said that the district realizes the switch may not be welcomed by all patrons and the school district is offering some options. For instance, the district’s on-site daycare program, Adventure Club, will now offer a more cost-friendly payment structure, which would allow patrons to utilize the service both in the morning and evening or just one or the other.

Other benefits to the schedule include: elementary students no longer having to ride on the same bus with middle and high school students, a reduction of student ride times and Platte City and Barry middle schools will be on the same schedule, which will support before and after school activities.

In other business, the Board approved refinancing $8 million in bonds issued for a 2001 building project. Because of lower interest rates currently available, district financial advisor George K. Baum Company advised the refinancing, which will save the district nearly $1 million the final 11 years of the repayment schedule.

The Board also: Approved the 2010-11 calendar, which includes the following notable dates: Aug. 17, first day of school; Oct. 8, Homecoming; Dec. 23-Jan. 2, winter break; March 14-18, spring break; May 19, last day of school; and May 21, high school graduation. Selected Manning Construction as its construction manager and Hollis & Miller Architects as its architectural firm for the next district building project, which could come as early as 2011.