Start time advisory committee meets

Last week was the first meeting of the Park Hill School District’s newly-appointed start time advisory committee.

The committee members introduced themselves and were given an overview of the district’s needs to address deficiencies in the busing system and a shortage of bus drivers. The committee is expected to recommend a multi-tiered busing plan requiring fewer drivers while maintaining quality and safety. The district backed away from a plan to change start times earlier this year due to negative public feedback, and created this committee — and another which recently completed its work to study research on the effect of start times on students — to address concerns that the public had not been involved in the previous process.

The members of the committee were approved at the Thursday, July 25 board of education meeting. Members are Megan Amash, community member; Steve Archer, principal; Layla Barbur, community member; Angie Barton, community member; Carol Black, community member; Jenny Burrows, community member; Kirsten Clemons, principal; Kim Close, community member; Robin Davis, principal; Terri Deayon, principal; Chris Early, principal; Angela Eastwood, community member; Kristina Goodrich, community member; Susan Green, community member; LuAnn Halverstadt, principal; Lee Heinerikson, principal; Melissa Hensley, principal; Jamie Johnson, community member; Sasha Kalis, principal; Brad Kincheloe, principal; Molly Kleinwolterink, community member; Dale Longenecker, principal; Ashley Macken, community member; Susan Mason, community member; Jay Niceswanger, principal; Kristi Pittman, community member; Sarah Porter, community member; Erin Rau, community member; Brooke Renton, principal; Desiree Rios, principal; Kerry Roe, principal; Jessica Slover, community member; Michelle Soper, community member; Brian Stacy, community member; Ryan Stanley, principal; Keelie Stucker, principal; Jeannie Wilde, community member; and Tressa Wright, principal. The committee is chaired by assistant superintendent Dr. Paul Kelly with assistance from assistant superintendents Dr. Mike Kimbrel and Dr. Jeff Klein.

The group will meet again this week and on Wednesday, Aug. 28. Meetings are open to the public and a public open house has been scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1. The committee’s findings are expected to be presented to the board of education on Thursday, Oct. 10 with final approval of a new plan on Thursday, Oct. 24.

Prior to the July 25 board meeting, board members toured the construction sites at Hopewell Elementary School and Walden Middle School, which will open to students next week on the first day of school. While Walden will open on time, road work around the school is behind schedule due to delays in utility relocations and the weather.

Platte County Public Works is acting as construction manager on the City of Kansas City project and director of public works Bob Heim recently reported to county commissioners that a temporary access will be installed to give buses a better route into the new school property. Heim said the road projects should wrap up in October.