Doctor Eloy presented a schedule‑alignment proposal that would stagger school start and end times across two major groupings to shorten student bus rides, reduce early morning pickups and ease peak traffic, he said. "The purpose of the proposal is hopefully to shorten route times for most students, reduce early morning pickups ... and create operational efficiencies," Doctor Eloy said.

The proposal, developed after study and principal input, would assign schools that draw from larger geographic areas to a later start (as late as 8:15 a.m. in the proposal) and schools that draw locally to an earlier start (around 7:30 a.m.). Doctor Eloy said the district currently runs roughly 82 bus routes and that a staggered system could reduce the number of long routes a student endures each day. He estimated the district might reduce long single-shift routes to a smaller permanent set while creating opportunities to run shorter double routes in two shifts.

Board members repeatedly framed the measure as a response to long rural routes. "For years we've heard about the fact of how these children ... have to stay on the bus as long as we've had to stay on the bus," Pastor Harris said, urging the board to act on the longstanding concern. Board member Benefield said safety concerns and very early pickups on highway routes motivated the proposal: "We've got to do something. We've got to look at the welfare of these children."

Public commenters offered mixed reactions. Lisa Willis, a parent of a student at Provencal, said later release times would interfere with critical therapy appointments for her child: "If he's not getting out of school too late, he will not have those services ... They will not take him after 3:45." Celia Miles, who lives in a rural area, said her daughter sometimes boards as early as 6:25 a.m. and warned that later dismissal could mean children arrive home after dark in winter months. "They're getting on the bus at 06:25 ... they're not getting home until after 4:00," she said.

Supporters cited student‑health research and potential operational gains. Christie Hoover, a former educator, said later starts can benefit adolescents' sleep and performance. Several bus drivers and at least three drivers who contacted a board member said the change "would make my life so much easier," according to a board comment reporting constituent feedback.

Board members and staff acknowledged unresolved questions. Members asked about impacts on instructional minutes, master schedules, teacher duty periods, lunch and recess durations and whether the change would create inequities between schools. Doctor Eloy said staff would need to adjust master schedules and that "there is no way there are gonna be some things that we gain, and there are gonna be some things we lose" if the board adopts the plan. He proposed returning with refinements and suggested delaying any vote until December to allow further outreach and technical scheduling work.

The town hall did not produce a board vote on the schedule. Board members said they will gather additional community input and refine the proposal; Doctor Eloy said staff will try to address principals' and parents' concerns before the board considers formal action.

Votes taken earlier in the special meeting (before the town‑hall) were routine: the board approved the consent agenda and multiple policy items, awarded the Internet/WAN bid (Item 7a) and approved an addendum to an existing dual‑enrollment MOU (Item 9n). Those items were approved by motions and roll‑call or voice votes recorded by the clerk during the business portion of the meeting.