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School committee approves small shift to start and dismissal times for 2025–26 school year
Summary
Committee voted unanimously to adopt revised start and dismissal times included in the packet for 2025–26; administrators said the change is intended to reduce student wait time for late buses and lower overtime supervision costs.
WALPOLE, Mass. — The Walpole School Committee approved changes to next school year's start and dismissal times Thursday, voting 6–0–0 to adopt the revised schedule included in the meeting packet.
Committee members said the schedule shift — described by staff as small adjustments that in some cases move middle‑ and high‑school start/dismissal times by a few minutes — aims to reduce student waiting time at the end of the day when buses arrive late. A staff presenter said the extra minutes should lower the need for staff to stay beyond contracted hours to supervise students.
"What we're facing now is, at the end of the day, the buses are not able to arrive on time to pick up the students," the staff member reintroducing the item told the committee, saying the change would reduce unstructured downtime and the financial burden of overtime pay. A committee member noted instruction time is unchanged; the draft schedule shifts minutes rather than reducing instructional minutes.
Committee members asked administrators to publicize the small timing changes to families — particularly parents whose children attend after‑school activities — and to include the updated schedule in school newsletters and the district's "virtual backpack." The chair said the final school calendar will be presented when contract negotiations conclude and is expected at the May school committee meeting.
Motion to approve the starting times as listed in the packet passed 6–0–0.
