TSC changes middle school start time

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Wea Ridge Middle School students will be in class an hour earlier when school starts in the fall. The start time will move from 8:50 in the morning to 7:50 a.m. The change will allow the district to better coordinate bus routes and do away with students transferring buses.

"We feel it's better to separate the middle school. They will ride their own routes. They only will bus middle school students and that way we'll be able to run Woodland Elementary routes and just Wea Ridge Elementary routes," said TSC Assistant Superintendent Susan DeLong.

Only students districted for Wyandotte Elementary will be able to go the school when it opens in the fall of 2011. Normally, TSC allows students to go to any school in the district as along as parents provide transportation. Superintendent Scott Hanback said he wants to avoid overcrowding when the doors opens.

"It's going to give us an idea of the actual students in this district. We can plan. We can look at the maps we have, but until the students walk through the door we just don't know how many students will end up being there," he explained.

The district expects between 370 and 420 students to attend Wyandotte Elementary. Maximum capacity for the building is 600. The corporation hopes to include Wyandotte on the list of open enrollment schools once total enrollment is established.

The principal for Wyandotte Elementary will be Mary Beth Fitzgerald. She is the current principal of Mayflower Mill Elementary. Mindy Higgins, the Mayflower Mill Assistant Principal, will become the principal there.