(Photo by Megan Bachman)
School district talks start time, bus changes
- Published: February 13, 2026
At a Jan. 28 work session, the school board continued a discussion of a proposal that was brought forward by district administrators last month: A possible change of start and end times at both campuses, and consolidation of school bussing into one, K–12 route.
If adopted, the proposed changes would begin next school year, coinciding with the expected completion of the district’s facilities construction and renovation project.
As the News reported last month, under the proposal, Mills Lawn Elementary School would operate from 8:15 a.m.–2:45 p.m. for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, while students in grades 5–12 at Yellow Springs Middle and High School would attend school from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. District leaders said last month that the shift is intended to reduce instructional disruptions tied to athletics and other activities, better align staff schedules across buildings as grade configurations change next year, and improve bussing efficiency.
During the work session, Superintendent Terri Holden said the district’s “priority ask” is adjusting the start time at the middle and high schools, adding that the board could elect to consider start times separately from the proposal to combine bus routes.
Board President Amy Bailey summarized questions raised by parents after the proposal was introduced last month. Questions included how bus pick-up and parent drop-off times might change, and whether families with students at both campuses would realistically have enough time to drop students off.
Administrators said the earliest current pick-up times typically fall between about 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., depending on the route and the campus, and that pick-up times can shift significantly from year to year based on how routes are built and how many qualifying students opt to ride.
District leaders said they have been meeting with drivers to explore whether transporting K–12 students together on each of the district’s three buses and running three routes could reduce the overall amount of time students spend riding the bus. At the same time, Treasurer Jacob McGrath noted that the district’s three bus drivers are contracted for minimum hours, so their hours would not be cut under the proposal. Nevertheless, he said that K–12 bussing would likely result in savings by reducing fuel use and wear-and-tear on the district’s buses by reducing daily mileage.
Board members pointed out that because state-drawn bus transportation eligibility maps rely on a home’s proximity to each campus, students in the same household may qualify to ride the bus to one campus while not qualifying for service to the other. Assistant Superintendent Megan Winston said that if a bus is already stopping for a qualifying student, the district would make an effort to accommodate a nonqualifying student in the same household.
The board plans to revisit the proposal in February, and potentially vote on the proposal in March so families can plan for next school year. Until then, Winston encouraged families to continue to send questions and comments on the proposal to communications@ysschools.org.
In other school district business—
• There will be no school for students and staff on Monday, Feb. 16, in observance of Presidents Day.
• The YS Board of Education will hold its next regular meeting Wednesday, Feb. 18, beginning at 5:30 p.m. As established in its January regular meeting, moving forward, the board has planned to hold its monthly regular meeting on the second Wednesday of each month, with work sessions scheduled on the third Wednesday of each month. However, due to board member conflicts, the February regular meeting will be held when a work session would typically be held.
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