APS Bell schedule review

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

I like how you just completely ignore the research on physical and mental health impact to teenagers of early school start times (especially the current middle school start time). I guess their needs don’t deserve consideration in your analysis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t like that each option extends the total time for my HS student.

By 13 mins. Gee, what an impact in the grand scheme of things. Just goes to show someone at EPS will always find something to complain about.

Getting out later really messes things up for older kids who have jobs and activities after school. It does impact things for plenty of people, just not you. Just goes to show how someone will always find things to discredit other people's concerns.

13 minutes. Activities will be shifted due to an entire system of schools starting later. Every high school kid will be in the same situation. It's not as if they are shifting the day to an hour later.

One scenario doesn't have them getting out until 3:35. It's ridiculous!

What's so ridiculous about 3:35? It's only a half an hour and it actually puts it closer to the start time of some after-school activities that don't start until 4:00, which means less wasted/awkward time between end of school and start of activity

When you have a 3 or 4 hour shift/practice that begins right after school, you need time to get there, change and have a snack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

MS students are not old enough to hold jobs, and the system should NOT work around making them childcare for younger siblings, either! That’s way too much for MS students, who are just kids themselves, trying to recover from the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t like that each option extends the total time for my HS student.

By 13 mins. Gee, what an impact in the grand scheme of things. Just goes to show someone at EPS will always find something to complain about.

Getting out later really messes things up for older kids who have jobs and activities after school. It does impact things for plenty of people, just not you. Just goes to show how someone will always find things to discredit other people's concerns.

13 minutes. Activities will be shifted due to an entire system of schools starting later. Every high school kid will be in the same situation. It's not as if they are shifting the day to an hour later.

One scenario doesn't have them getting out until 3:35. It's ridiculous!

What's so ridiculous about 3:35? It's only a half an hour and it actually puts it closer to the start time of some after-school activities that don't start until 4:00, which means less wasted/awkward time between end of school and start of activity

.

If the schools end time changes, so will activity start times in Arlington. Geez. Unless what you’re really saying is that no changes should be made so you have time to drive your kid to travel sports conditioning in FFX on time. Eff that noise.

When you have a 3 or 4 hour shift/practice that begins right after school, you need time to get there, change and have a snack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t like that each option extends the total time for my HS student.

By 13 mins. Gee, what an impact in the grand scheme of things. Just goes to show someone at EPS will always find something to complain about.

Getting out later really messes things up for older kids who have jobs and activities after school. It does impact things for plenty of people, just not you. Just goes to show how someone will always find things to discredit other people's concerns.

13 minutes. Activities will be shifted due to an entire system of schools starting later. Every high school kid will be in the same situation. It's not as if they are shifting the day to an hour later.

One scenario doesn't have them getting out until 3:35. It's ridiculous!

What's so ridiculous about 3:35? It's only a half an hour and it actually puts it closer to the start time of some after-school activities that don't start until 4:00, which means less wasted/awkward time between end of school and start of activity

.

If the schools end time changes, so will activity start times in Arlington. Geez. Unless what you’re really saying is that no changes should be made so you have time to drive your kid to travel sports conditioning in FFX on time. Eff that noise.

When you have a 3 or 4 hour shift/practice that begins right after school, you need time to get there, change and have a snack.

3:35 seems like a perfectly reasonable school end time to me. I don't know about other folks, but spouse and I work regularly until 5:30 - 6PM. We have always selected kids activities with a later start time, or which don't require significant driving in traffic. I don't know many FT working people who can get off at 3 on a regular basis to schlep middle or early high school kids across town for a 4PM practice start. And why is Larla practicing for 3-4 hours? Is she going to the Olympics?

[Anonymous]

I like how you just completely ignore the research on physical and mental health impact to teenagers of early school start times (especially the current middle school start time). I guess their needs don’t deserve consideration in your analysis?

Middle schoolers are tweets, not teens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

I agree with this. My middle schooler may not enjoy getting up early, but he enjoys school ending early enough so that he can do an after school activity at school, and still make it to his non-school sports practice/have time for homework. If transportation problems are the real issue, let’s focus on that.

[Anonymous]

We have to use extended day no matter the scenario. I don’t relish wrestling a second grader to school by 7:30. 8am is difficult enough (Abingdon)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

I agree with this. My middle schooler may not enjoy getting up early, but he enjoys school ending early enough so that he can do an after school activity at school, and still make it to his non-school sports practice/have time for homework. If transportation problems are the real issue, let’s focus on that.

Which MS in Arlington is giving homework? Name names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

I agree with this. My middle schooler may not enjoy getting up early, but he enjoys school ending early enough so that he can do an after school activity at school, and still make it to his non-school sports practice/have time for homework. If transportation problems are the real issue, let’s focus on that.

Which MS in Arlington is giving homework? Name names.

Hamm gives homework. Not much but it’s there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Elementary school earlier would eliminate the need for extended day in the morning.

But it could transfer this need to middle school. How many 6th graders can get themselves out of bed, breakfast, to a bus on time? These kids are young. If middle school starts later, they may need morning extended day as an option for working parents who have to be at work before 9am.

This American society has things so backward. WHy is everyone always bending to the current status of the kids rather than setting things up so that kids develop into responsible teens and then responsible adults? How many 6th graders can get themselves up and to school on time depends on how many of them have parents who expect and teach them to do so. If that's what the system is, you find a way....just as people have found ways of working within the current system (which changed many years ago).

My MS kid goes to HB and wakes up alone every day, gets out the door to the bus stop while both parents are at work. It's not that hard. Especially because they are better rested with a later wake up time, and also because the sun is always up by that time, which makes it easier.

I bet faced with the idea that the alternative is to get up even earlier to go to before care/babysitter, most 11 year olds would find it preferable to develop their sense of responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

I agree with this. My middle schooler may not enjoy getting up early, but he enjoys school ending early enough so that he can do an after school activity at school, and still make it to his non-school sports practice/have time for homework. If transportation problems are the real issue, let’s focus on that.

Which MS in Arlington is giving homework? Name names.

Hamm gives homework. Not much but it’s there.

So does Gunston, even if they don’t call it homework. It’s “finish this at home if you don’t finish in class,” or a project or essay that’s due, or a book to read for class, or a test to study for. Not every night, but often enough. At the very least, I would think all MS kids have studying to do from time to time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I like how you just completely ignore the research on physical and mental health impact to teenagers of early school start times (especially the current middle school start time). I guess their needs don’t deserve consideration in your analysis?

Middle schoolers are tweets, not teens

Tell that to my 13 yo 7th grader who will be 14 for most of his final year of middle school. No, we did not hold him back, November birthday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

I agree with this. My middle schooler may not enjoy getting up early, but he enjoys school ending early enough so that he can do an after school activity at school, and still make it to his non-school sports practice/have time for homework. If transportation problems are the real issue, let’s focus on that.

Which MS in Arlington is giving homework? Name names.

Hamm gives homework. Not much but it’s there.

So does Gunston, even if they don’t call it homework. It’s “finish this at home if you don’t finish in class,” or a project or essay that’s due, or a book to read for class, or a test to study for. Not every night, but often enough. At the very least, I would think all MS kids have studying to do from time to time.

As does Williamsburg. Perhaps the question should be which one doesn’t give homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS should keep tweaks as minimal as possible while meeting their transportation goals. If they need to make large shifts in time for some schools, limit it to choice schools and programs.

Wholesale flipping around of start times would have far reaching implications beyond the school day, from those that have already been mentioned, to stresses on facility and sports scheduling- pools, fields, gyms, etc. MS and HS should end their school days earlier to give students time to both participate in extracurricular activities and still have time to get homework and studying completed. Not to mention that it allows older siblings to be available to care for younger ones or hold a desperately needed part time job.

Tweaks ok, massive shifts not.

I agree with this. My middle schooler may not enjoy getting up early, but he enjoys school ending early enough so that he can do an after school activity at school, and still make it to his non-school sports practice/have time for homework. If transportation problems are the real issue, let’s focus on that.

Which MS in Arlington is giving homework? Name names.

Hamm gives homework. Not much but it’s there.

Williamsburg gives homework too. Not a huge amount for most classes, but intensified math classes can get long some nights.