With the addition of the new Ridgeline Middle School and the related boundary changes at the middle school level, our team had to reconfigure bus routes for the 2025 - 2026 school year.

As a result of this reconfiguration, we determined the best scenario for our students was to shift school start and end times as follows:

Elementary

  • Old: 7:55 a.m. - 2:50 p.m.
  • New: 7:30 a.m. - 2:20 p.m.

Middle Schools

  • Old: 8:35 a.m. - 3:55 p.m.
  • New: 8:30 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.

High Schools

  • Old: 8:40 a.m. - 3:50 p.m.
  • New: 8:55 a.m. - 4:05 p.m.

Process

Staff from across the district developed and analyzed more than a dozen scenarios and their impact on students, families, and school operations. The final scenario was selected for the greatest benefit to students with the least impact on:

  • Instructional calendar
  • Budget, particularly in a challenging funding year
  • Activities / athletics
  • Childcare
  • Length of routes
  • Route start and end times

The change in bell times may also provide more availability for activity / athletic drivers, reducing the amount of time students are out of class for out-of-town trips.

Next Steps

Those students that qualify for transportation services will be sent their route time by the Transportation Department the week of August 11.

For more information, email engage@weldre4.org.

Task Force

We look to convene a Task Force to dive into the challenges we’re facing that influence the bell schedule change discussion. We look for this committee to explore these issues and recommend solutions to the Board of Education for consideration. The following subjects will be discussed, among others:

  • Bus driver shortages
  • Bus availability
  • Revenue sources
  • Domino effect of scheduling changes

The committee will be chaired by a parent / community representative. The Chief Operating Officer will act as the Task Force’s staff liaison. We anticipate this committee will meet at least four times in the fall, with work culminating prior to the annual budget process beginning in January.

Applications will open the week of August 18. The Superintendent will form a committee to review and interview selected candidates that represent a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the Weld RE-4 community.