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West Bend district delays elementary route-time changes after community feedback
Summary
Following consultant analysis, the board accepted staff’s recommendation to delay a three-tier bus-routing change for 2026–27 so families and staff can prepare; the delay leaves ongoing late-bus issues at two schools for another year while the district studies alignment options for 2027–28.
At the June 8 meeting, transportation staff updated trustees on a routing study intended to resolve chronic end-of-day lateness at Silverbrook and Badger. Administration described a recommended three-tier system that would bus high school students first, reuse buses for middle/intermediate routes, and then bus elementary students — a change that requires aligning Fair Park Elementary’s start time with other elementary schools and likely extending the elementary day.
Assistant Superintendent Lenny Hansen said partial or piecemeal changes would not deliver the intended improvement. "You will not solve it unless you really go all in and that would mean aligning Fair Park to the other elementary schools as well as extending that elementary day to 3:45," he said, summarizing consultant findings and staff modeling.
Staff reported they received broad family and staff feedback, and that many Fair Park families face additional disruption because the school will be reconfigured next year. For 2026–27 the administration recommended delaying schedule changes and studying options further for 2027–28; the board accepted that recommendation. Hansen warned that delaying the change means the district will continue to manage some late buses at Badger and Silverbrook for one more year.
Board members asked about costs and trade-offs. One trustee referenced an estimate that making the change could avoid between roughly $60,000 and $120,000 in annual added cost relative to some alternative models; administration clarified that the district is already incurring certain status-quo costs and that some permutations could add expense instead of saving money.
What’s next: staff will continue modeling scenarios for 2027–28, including potential elementary-time alignment and modest extensions to the elementary day, and will present recommendations in advance so families can make childcare arrangements.
