Opening a new high school presents a myriad of challenges within a school district, not the least of which is getting students to the new school.

To prepare for the opening of Marysville Getchell High School in 2010, the district's transportation department has been working on plans to deliver all students to their school of choice without increasing the school bus fleet or driving staff. After careful review of 14 different options, two alternatives are being presented to the public, and the School Board is scheduled to make a decision November 16.

Option 6.1 calls for all high schools in the district to start 10 minutes earlier than the current schedule, with MGHS beginning at 7:10 a.m. and M-PHS at 7:35 a.m. Middle schools and elementary schools would start 15 minutes later than this year.

Option 7.1 reverses the order of the bus schedule, with middle school students delivered first, followed by elementary school kids and finally high schoolers. Under this plan, students at MGHS would be in school from 9:25 to 4:05 and those at M-P would go from 9:50 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Judging from comments at an October 29 public meeting held at the district service center, there's very little support for the second alternative.

The later high school schedule presents a host of challenges, including after-school sports and extracurricular activities, part-time jobs for students and additional day care expenses for families.

Joe Legare, the district's transportation supervisor, responded to questions and concerns voiced by parents, school staff and community members at the public meeting.

Jim Ballew, director of Marysville's Parks and Recreation department, raised a new concern at the Thursday meeting: coordination of services with community organizations that work with young people.

"Option 7.1 would be a substantial change for the community, not just the schools," said Ballew. "It's important to get feedback from those who support education and activities outside the school system."

The after-school Minority Achievers Program at the YMCA is one such program.

"While I'd like to think that students would get up early and come to the Y before school, it's pretty doubtful that would happen," said ?? of the Marysville MAP.

Another participant raised the issue of additional traffic from high school students and staff members at the end of the workday when Marysville's streets are already clogged with commuters.

Some district staff members who were present indicated that parents were "100 percent opposed" to the later start time, with some parents threatening to pull students out of the Marysville School District if option 7.1 was approved.

The November 2 School Board meeting was slated to begin an hour earlier than usual, at 5:30 p.m., to hear comments about the transportation issue.