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Board halts push for staggered bell schedule after community feedback; staff to pursue alternatives for late buses
Summary
Transportation staff reported strong community opposition to a proposed staggered bell schedule and said the district will pause that option and look at alternatives — including contracted before/after care, hiring substitute drivers, routing improvements and more engagement with the Transportation Impact Committee.
After gathering public feedback, transportation staff told the Dinwiddie County School Board they would stop pursuing a staggered bell schedule as the primary solution to late buses and instead explore alternatives, including contracted before‑ and after‑school childcare, routing improvements and additional staffing.
Why it matters: Late buses affect families’ commutes, after‑school care arrangements and student supervision. The board sought solutions that reduce late arrivals without imposing disproportionate burdens on particular groups.
Mr. Walters, the district staff member who gave the transportation update, summarized seven feedback sessions and other community input; he said “most of the feedback was in opposition to the staggered bell schedule.” Common themes included that an elementary day ending near 3:55–4:00 p.m. would be too late for younger students; a 9:00–9:15 a.m. secondary start was perceived as creating hardship for parents; separating Dinwiddie High School and Dinwiddie Middle School schedules would create logistical problems; and before/after‑school childcare availability and cost were concerns.
Given the responses, Walters said the division will “halt... attempts to push forward the staggered bell schedule” for now and pursue other options. Those actions include: exploring contracted childcare providers to offer on‑site before/after care; assessing whether hiring more full‑time substitute drivers or retaining contracted drivers would reduce late buses; retraining transportation staff on routing software and route optimization; collapsing or reconfiguring routes where practical; continuing Transportation Impact Committee meetings to generate creative, locally appropriate solutions; and encouraging families to report whether their children will regularly ride the bus so routing can be more efficient.
Board members and the student representatives debated tradeoffs and equity. Student representative Imani McLaughlin said policymakers “cannot appeal to everyone” and urged the board to seek a solution that addresses the majority’s needs while considering equity. Trustees noted that staggered schedules work in denser districts but may not fit Dinwiddie’s geographic patterns and longer routes; the transportation update said the division averages about 15% of buses late on worst days (roughly 10–12 buses), often driven by staff absences and long route distances.
No formal board vote was taken on a policy change. Walters said staff will continue to evaluate options, work on routing over the summer and meet with the Transportation Impact Committee to develop concrete proposals.
Provenance: The transportation discussion began with the item introduction about late buses and concluded with the director’s summary and the board’s directions to continue exploring alternatives.
