Parents and guardians whose children go to Merrillville schools will see a change in start and dismissal times in the 2022-23 school year.
According to Superintendent Nicholas Brown, Ed.S., the national shortage of school bus drivers has hit home at Merrillville Community School Corporation.
"Throughout the 2021-22 school year, our human resource and transportation departments have worked to find solutions to this major issue," Brown said. "We have purchased local advertising, participated in job fairs, and increased the starting pay for bus drivers so we could attract additional drivers for the 2022-23 school year."
Brown said instead of waiting and hoping the corporation will hire more bus drivers by the beginning of the school year, schools’ start and dismissal times will change in order to safely accommodate the number of children who require school transportation.
At its June 21 meeting, the Merrillville Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees approved the new schedule that will go into effect Aug. 17, the first day of school.
Both Merrillville High School and Pierce Middle School start times will change to 7:40 a.m. and dismissal times to 2:30 p.m. All five elementary schools in the school corporation will change their start times to 8:25 a.m. and their dismissal times to 3:05 p.m. Lastly, Merrillville Intermediate School will change its start time to 9:15 a.m. and its dismissal time to 3:45 p.m.
"We hope by approving and advertising the new school schedule in advance of the school year, parents and guardians will have time to adjust their home schedules," Brown said.
He added that bus route information will be posted on the school corporation website, www.mvsc.k12.in.us closer to the start of school.
For more information, parents and guardians are asked to contact the school corporation's central office, 219-650-5300, or check the website for updates.