(PRESS RELEASE) – Anoka-Hennepin reviews and adjusts bell times for schools each year to ensure students are transported safely and the school bus fleet is used efficiently. Changes in student populations between schools and the addition of new elementary schools has created the need to rebalance routes for the 2019-20 school year.
Work on transportation routes for 2019-20 followed approval of new boundaries in the fall, with a goal of sharing route information early to give families adequate time to adjust their schedules.
When establishing safe and efficient routes, district planners use geographic boundaries such as rivers, railroads, and highways to minimize hazardous crossings. Routes are also created to maximize use of school bus time and seating capacity. The fleet is also staggered to serve multiple schools each morning and afternoon.
Elementary schools
For the 26 elementary schools in Anoka-Hennepin, 11 school sites would be adjusted, six schools will begin later and five schools earlier. There is no plan to change times in Hennepin County since no boundaries were changed. Sites involved with bell time changes include:
2019-20 and current bell times
Andover Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:10 a.m. – 3:40 p.m.
Crooked Lake Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Eisenhower Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Current bell time: 8:55 a.m. – 3:25 p.m.
Hamilton Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Hoover Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:05 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.
Jefferson Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 8:50 a.m. – 3:20 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Johnsville Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Lincoln Elementary for the Arts
2019-20 bell time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:20 a.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Madison Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 8:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:10 a.m. – 3:40 p.m.
Mississippi Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:05 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.
Wilson Elementary
2019-20 bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Current bell time: 9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Brookside Elementary (Ramsey)
2019-20 bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunrise Elementary (Blaine)
2019-20 bell time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
High school, middle schools and other programs
There are no changes proposed for bell times for the 16 campuses serving high school and middle school students in the district. This includes the five traditional high schools, six middle schools, Anoka-Hennepin Regional High School, Anoka-Hennepin Technical High School, Secondary Technical Education Program, and Compass mid-level programs. Routes serving the Bridges Program will be adjusted to match high school bell times.
Approval process and parent communication
Parents and guardians of students at sites with new bell times will be notified by the U.S. Mail in March, following a review and second reading of the proposal at the Feb. 25 Anoka-Hennepin School Board Meeting. If you would like to provide feedback before this meeting, please fill out this Google form.
