INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Hundreds of school buses will return to the roads this week across central Indiana as the summer ends for several school districts.
On Monday, students in the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township begin the 2019-2020 school year.
With just more than 12,000 students, be prepared for hundreds of school buses on the roads making sudden stops.
School leaders have made a new three-tier transportation schedule, which is meant to be more efficient and cut down on the amount of time a child spends on the bus. As a result, that means new start times for the school day this year.
The nine Warren Township elementary schools start at 8:05 a.m., followed by the three middle schools at 8:55 a.m. High school students start the earliest at 7:15 a.m.
District leaders have also been busy developing and adding social and emotional curriculum for every student, including as young as kindergarten. That can help students identify and work through issues. Another goal is to eliminate bullying.
Counselors will be available at all schools and for all grades for the first time this year.
Students will also have access to a texting hotline for school or other issues that may pop up.
For the first time, breakfast and lunch for students will be free, regardless of family income or if they've signed up for a program.
While starting school in late July may sound surprising, more districts head back this week: Greenwood starts Tuesday, Wayne Township on Wednesday, and Noblesville, Lawrence Township, Pike Township, and Washington Township on Thursday.