Winnebago County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

ROCKFORD

Javon Bea Hospital seeks volunteers

The new Javon Bea Hospital and Physician Clinic–Riverside is looking for caring individuals to fill a variety of volunteer positions.

Sports include: Reception desk, Patient transport services, Gift shop, Emergency trauma,  center, Loving Tails Pet Therapy program and many more

To learn about the available volunteer opportunities, Mercyheath is hosting a series of volunteer welcome sessions at Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside, 8201 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford.

Sessions are scheduled on: Monday, Jan. 21, 9:30-10:30 a.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2:30-3:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Feb.  6, 9:30-10:30 a.m.; and Friday, Feb. 8, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

For more information, call the Volunteer Services Department at (815) 971-6284.

ROCKFORD

School start times to change in 2019-20 year

School start times and dismissal will change by 10-to-15 minutes at most schools in the 2019-20 school year after the Rockford School Board recently approved school start times for the upcoming school year.

Classes at RPS 205 traditional high schools will start at 8:15 a.m., which is 15 minutes earlier than the current 8:30 a.m. start. Middle schools will start at 9 a.m., which is 15 minutes later than the current 8:45 a.m. start. Most elementary schools will start at 7:35 a.m. – 10 minutes earlier than the current 7:45 a.m. start.

The new schedule will shorten the length of time students ride the bus. The average ride time will be 19 minutes compared to the current average of 21 minutes, a 10 percent reduction. The shift will make a big difference to students who have longer rides to and from school.

The new start times will not mean earlier pick up or drop off times at bus stops. This year, the earliest time an elementary student boards the bus is 6 a.m., and that 6 a.m. time will continue in the upcoming school year. The latest time a middle school student gets off the bus is currently 5:15 p.m., and that time will also continue in the upcoming school year. 

Because of the more staggered start times, the district will have additional drivers and buses to use. The Transportation Department will run three routes twice each day instead of two routes twice each day. 

 

 

–Winnebago County News Briefs–