The Cherokee County School District is revising start and end times for schools in the River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock Innovation Zones for the 2016-2017 school year

District officials announced Wednesday that Dean Rusk, Freedom, Mill Creek and Woodstock middle schools will start classes at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m., 30 minutes later than they do now.

River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock high schools will start at 8: 15 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m, 15 minutes earlier.

Elementary school start times won’t be affected.

The changes mean that middle and high school students will be riding separate buses in those zones. District officials said the changes will also generate significant cost savings by requiring fewer buses and bus drivers. They said that will mean fewer bus purchases, lower maintenance costs and fewer salaries.

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Managing Partner at Atlantica Properties, Darion Dunn (center) talks with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a tour following the ribbon cutting of Waterworks Village as part of the third phase of the city’s Rapid Housing Initiative on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
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