The school bells will ring at new times in the Mehlville School District during the 2004-2005 school year, according to a district news release.

Beginning Sept. 2, the district will have a three-tier bus schedule instead of four, necessitating starting time changes at every school.

Tier 1 schools will begin at 7:20 a.m. and dismiss at 2:05 p.m. Those schools are Margaret Buerkle Middle School, Mehlville Senior High School and Oakville Senior High School.

Tier 2 schools will begin at 8:05 a.m. and dismiss at 2:50 p.m. Tier 2 schools are Bernard Middle, Oakville Middle, Washington Middle, Blades Elementary and Rogers Elementary.

Tier 3 schools will begin at 8:55 a.m. and dismiss at 3:40 p.m. Tier 3 schools are Beasley Elementary, Bierbaum Accelerated, Forder Elementary, Hagemann Elementary, Oakville Elementary, Point Elementary, Trautwein Accelerated and Wohlwend Elementary.

Although in some instances students at different levels will start school at the same time, the district will continue to provide separate buses for elementary, middle and high school students. As always, bus transportation to and from school will be provided at no cost to parents.

By switching to a three-tier system, the district will see a reduction of 24 routes driven, which will improve its transportation efficiency rating and result in moderate savings, the release stated. However, the reduction in routes will not result in any jobs lost by district bus drivers. Also, all three levels of schools now will have the same length of instructional time, a change that received a 90 percent approval rating from district teachers.

Morning kindergartners attending Tier 2 schools will begin at 8:05 a.m. and dismiss at 11:10 a.m. Afternoon kindergartners at Tier 2 schools will begin at 11:45 a.m. and dismiss at 2:50 p.m. At Tier 3 schools, morning kindergarten pupils will begin at 8:55 a.m. and dismiss at noon, while afternoon kindergarten pupils will begin at 12:35 and dismiss at 3:40 p.m.