Nearly two months into the school year, the Butler School District is adjusting to its new consolidated schools.

Bus routes and technology changes were the biggest challenges the district officials faced when the school year started Sept. 8. But Superintendent Dale Lumley said the consolidation transition was successful overall.

“I think it went as well as it could have gone, better in many ways than expected,” he said.

“So I’m pretty pleased with all of those changes that are happening. But we still have work to do.”

He added, “The transportation routes that we had established (before this school year) had probably been established over the last 20 years. And so it was a huge undertaking. Most of the issues have been addressed. We still have a number of people who would like additional stops.”

However, most transportation issues have been addressed, Lumley said.

The district closed five of its 11 elementary schools in June: Broad Street, Center Avenue, Clearfield, Meridian and Oakland. Center Avenue reopened as an alternative and special needs school.

The junior high is now a middle school that houses fifth and sixth graders, and grades at the secondary schools were also adjusted.

The district spent $1.5 million on technological upgrades, providing smartboards for every classroom in fourth through 12th grades, new tablets and laptops for students and new, leased laptop computers for every teacher.

“Putting $1.5 million in new hardware and things in itself was a major accomplishment,” Lumley said.

There was a learning curve with some of the new technology, he said, but it’s something the district has been dealing with through its IT provider, Questeq. Kinks with telephone lines and new technology were smoothed out in the first weeks.