Next year’s Great Bend USD 428 school schedule adds 15 minutes to each school day to shorten the school year by one week. This change was approved by the Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) team as part of the 2023-2-24 negotiations, and ratified by the school board at its special meeting last Thursday, June 29.

Starting/ending times

• At USD 428 elementary schools, classes will start at 8 a.m. and dismiss at 3:25 p.m.

• At Great Bend Middle School, classes start at 8:05 a.m. and dismiss at 3:25 p.m.

- Advisory hour is from 8:05-8:26 a.m.

- 1st hour 8:29-9:15

- 2nd hour 9:18-10:04

- 3rd hour 10:07-10:53

- 4th hour

7th grade 10:56 a.m. to 12:08 p.m.

7th grade band/orchestra 11:25-12:08

8th grade 10:-56-11:42

- 5th hour

7th grade 12:11-12:57

8th grade 11:45-12:57

8th grade band/orchestra 12:13-12:57

- 6th hour 1:00-1:46

- 7th hour 1:49-2:35

- 8th hour 2:38-3:25

• At Great Bend High School, classes will start at 8:05 a.m. and dismiss at 3:20 p.m.

- 1st hour 8:05-8:48

- 2nd hour 8:55-9:38

- CONNECT time 9:42-10:05

- 3rd hour 10:09-10:52

- 4th hour 10:56-12:59

- 5th hour 11:43-12:59 

Lunch schedule 1st: 11:39-12:05; 2nd: 12:06-12:32; 3rd: 12:33-12:59

- 6th hour 1:03-1:46

- 7th hour 1:50-2:33

- 8th hour 2:37-3:20

• Preschools

- Riley, 7:50-10:57 a.m. and 12:17-3:25 p.m.

- Helping Hands, 7:50-11:17 a.m. and 11:57 a.m. to 3:35 p.m.

- Little Panthers Preschool schedule is not yet available

Changes to the calendar

Changes to the 2023-2024 calendar were also approved at the meeting.

Some dates to remember:

– August 2-3 Enrollment

- August 17 - Business showcase/teacher inservice

- August 23 - First day of classes for grades K-6, 7 and 9

- August 24 - First day of classes for grades 8 and 10-12

- December 22 through January 2, 2024 - Winter recess (teacher work day on Jan. 2, 2024)

- March 11-15 - Spring break (no school on March 8; teacher grading day)

- March 29 - Spring holiday

- May 12 - GBHS graduation

- May 16 - Last day of classes