In an effort to continue money-saving measures, the MSD of Wayne Township school board approved new starting times for next school year.

For Ben Davis students, that means a school day that begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:20 p.m.. Robey and McClelland elementary and the Ninth Grade Center will follow the same schedule as the high school. Ben Davis teachers will operate on a 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. schedule.

The cost-cutting measures will combine bus routes and save an estimated $450,000 in transportation costs next year.

Additional highlights include:

• All K-12 students in the M.S.D. of Wayne Township will receive 6 hours and 50 minutes of instruction.
• Nine of our 11 elementary schools will be on the same schedule.  Schools with Horizon programs have a larger pick-up area and will start later.
• BDHS and BDNGC will start later which is consistent with best practice research.
• Pick-up points will be modified to reduce the number of stops each bus makes on a route.
• All schools will meet or exceed the instructional time required by the IDOE.

Here is the breakdown of school times for next year:

7:30 a.m. -2:20 p.m. — BPE, CGE, CWE, GCE, MWE, NWE, RHE, SFE, WLF.

8:30 a.m.-3:20 p.m. — BDHS, NGC, ROE, MCE

9:15 a.m. -4:045 p.m. — CHC, LHC, WEC, BDU