MCPS High School 7:45am for teens is to early

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS looked into this several years back and ended up adjusting times by 20 minutes. (HS used to start at 7:25 am!)

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/belltimes/index.aspx

We spent tons of $ and time to move the school day 20 minutes a number of years ago. Not worth the effort to have them adjust the schedule 10 minutes more. Central office is really opposed to significantly changing the start time for high school. Supposedly it will hurt brown people. My kids were at a majority brown school and none of those parents seemed to care, but, central office apparently has the pulse of the people!

Some HS students need to leave school early enough to get to a job or to pick up their younger sibling from elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS looked into this several years back and ended up adjusting times by 20 minutes. (HS used to start at 7:25 am!)

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/belltimes/index.aspx

We spent tons of $ and time to move the school day 20 minutes a number of years ago. Not worth the effort to have them adjust the schedule 10 minutes more. Central office is really opposed to significantly changing the start time for high school. Supposedly it will hurt brown people. My kids were at a majority brown school and none of those parents seemed to care, but, central office apparently has the pulse of the people!

Some HS students need to leave school early enough to get to a job or to pick up their younger sibling from elementary school.

And all HS students need to get enough sleep - that t should trump the need of some HS students to end the day early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS looked into this several years back and ended up adjusting times by 20 minutes. (HS used to start at 7:25 am!)

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/belltimes/index.aspx

We spent tons of $ and time to move the school day 20 minutes a number of years ago. Not worth the effort to have them adjust the schedule 10 minutes more. Central office is really opposed to significantly changing the start time for high school. Supposedly it will hurt brown people. My kids were at a majority brown school and none of those parents seemed to care, but, central office apparently has the pulse of the people!

Some HS students need to leave school early enough to get to a job or to pick up their younger sibling from elementary school.

And all HS students need to get enough sleep - that t should trump the need of some HS students to end the day early.

Funny how some of our kids just manage fine and yours cannot. If your kids need more sleep they can nap after school or go to bed earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish parents could attend period 1 at MCPS high schools for 1 week.
They would change their tune quickly.
I’m a HS teacher and don’t mind the early start as I am an early riser.
But I feel terrible for my students. First period is so different from my other classes. Half the students arrive late. They trickle in all throughout period 1.
The remaining kids are either half or fully asleep. Most states have moved high school start times to 8 am or later but MCPS is not progressive in this regard

+100. Another HS teacher here. I teach on-level physics and chemistry at a very diverse school and I often only have 4 students out of 30 at the start of period 1. By the end of period 1, maybe we are at 15-20 students max out of 30. Period 1 starting at 7.45 am does not work. It is a wasted period.

What has changed, other than the internet and social media, since the 1990s? My high school started at 7:45. With the exceptions of late busses, trains, or crazy traffic, everyone was there at 7:45. And no, half the class wasn’t asleep in 1st period. So why are 2023 teens unable to do this but 1990s/2000s teens were?

Well, since the 1990s, kids have been getting less healthy, more obese, depressed, and anxious - and that was before social media. It's not about whether they are able to get up, but whether that is best for their health and learning.

And to the person who said that they need to get ready for the real work world, when they are in the real world, they won't be teens anymore, meaning that their sleep needs will be different.

Bussing logistics and money are reasons why start times haven't changed. However, if you are against changing for any other reason, you are ignoring unanimous agreement from experts that later start times are healthier.

I don't live in Montgomery County, but in my county, the high school start time doesn't even tell the full story of how early teens are forced to get up. My kid has a 7:25 a.m. start time, which required him to be at the bus stop at 6:25. The bus got them to school between 6:50 and 7:00 a.m. so that the driver could leave to pick up middle school kids who had a 7:40 start time. Basically, kids have wasted time spent milling about outside in the earning morning simply to save money on buses. They aren't working, exercising, or learning - just killing time before school and spending their days exhausted.

Or, you could just drive your kids to school. Seems simple enough to me. Surely you could drive your kid.. or are you the lazy one?

Your kids may not be doing much but some of our kids are. My kids have activities every day right after school so a later start time would be an issue with getting them to activities on time, then homework, shower, dinner and bed. Just because you have an issue in your home you refuse to fix, does not mean the rest of us should cater to you.

Really, drive your kid.

Why are you even posting here if it has no impact on your child if they aren't MCPS? The issue isn't the same here as what you are saying. Kids aren't going to school early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Or, you could just drive your kids to school. Seems simple enough to me. Surely you could drive your kid.. or are you the lazy one?

Your kids may not be doing much but some of our kids are. My kids have activities every day right after school so a later start time would be an issue with getting them to activities on time, then homework, shower, dinner and bed. Just because you have an issue in your home you refuse to fix, does not mean the rest of us should cater to you.

Really, drive your kid.

Why are you even posting here if it has no impact on your child if they aren't MCPS? The issue isn't the same here as what you are saying. Kids aren't going to school early.

Because we need to add more cars to the pick-up and drop-off chaos around high schools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC parent here. Curious how this is for your teens. We are unhappy parents at a DC public school considering moving. The start time for DCPS High Schools is 9am which is one of the only things they do that is smart. How are your kids' sleep habits with such an early start. Most research points to the reverse schedule for (older kids need to start later) and curious why MCPS is set up like this. Not sure if this issue has come up before or if they are considering changing it?

MCPS Level Time Length of Day
High School 7:45 a.m.–2:30 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Middle School 8:15 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Elementary School Tier 1 9:00 a.m.–3:25 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes
Elementary School Tier 2 9:25 a.m.–3:50 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes

Not this again! You do realize we've been over this again and again. There's no easy solution. It's been debated to death and we've found the best compromise short of raising taxes to pay for more bus drivers. Maybe a better solution would be to reduce the amount of transportation required and stop busing kids all over the place to support outdated boundaries.

Boundary changes, plus safer walking and biking routes to school, plus using RideOn/Metrobus instead of school buses where possible - that might do it. Unfortunately, all three seem to be equally unfeasible, politically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Or, you could just drive your kids to school. Seems simple enough to me. Surely you could drive your kid.. or are you the lazy one?

Your kids may not be doing much but some of our kids are. My kids have activities every day right after school so a later start time would be an issue with getting them to activities on time, then homework, shower, dinner and bed. Just because you have an issue in your home you refuse to fix, does not mean the rest of us should cater to you.

Really, drive your kid.

Why are you even posting here if it has no impact on your child if they aren't MCPS? The issue isn't the same here as what you are saying. Kids aren't going to school early.

Because we need to add more cars to the pick-up and drop-off chaos around high schools!

Then, stop complaining. Simple. Either drive your kid so they can sleep more or have them get up even earlier because you are too lazy to drive them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC parent here. Curious how this is for your teens. We are unhappy parents at a DC public school considering moving. The start time for DCPS High Schools is 9am which is one of the only things they do that is smart. How are your kids' sleep habits with such an early start. Most research points to the reverse schedule for (older kids need to start later) and curious why MCPS is set up like this. Not sure if this issue has come up before or if they are considering changing it?

MCPS Level Time Length of Day
High School 7:45 a.m.–2:30 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Middle School 8:15 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Elementary School Tier 1 9:00 a.m.–3:25 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes
Elementary School Tier 2 9:25 a.m.–3:50 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes

Not this again! You do realize we've been over this again and again. There's no easy solution. It's been debated to death and we've found the best compromise short of raising taxes to pay for more bus drivers. Maybe a better solution would be to reduce the amount of transportation required and stop busing kids all over the place to support outdated boundaries.

Boundary changes, plus safer walking and biking routes to school, plus using RideOn/Metrobus instead of school buses where possible - that might do it. Unfortunately, all three seem to be equally unfeasible, politically.

Not everyone is in safe walking or biking distance to the school nor close to public bus or does the bus go near the school. None of those would be options for us. Its either us drive or bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC parent here. Curious how this is for your teens. We are unhappy parents at a DC public school considering moving. The start time for DCPS High Schools is 9am which is one of the only things they do that is smart. How are your kids' sleep habits with such an early start. Most research points to the reverse schedule for (older kids need to start later) and curious why MCPS is set up like this. Not sure if this issue has come up before or if they are considering changing it?

MCPS Level Time Length of Day
High School 7:45 a.m.–2:30 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Middle School 8:15 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Elementary School Tier 1 9:00 a.m.–3:25 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes
Elementary School Tier 2 9:25 a.m.–3:50 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes

Not this again! You do realize we've been over this again and again. There's no easy solution. It's been debated to death and we've found the best compromise short of raising taxes to pay for more bus drivers. Maybe a better solution would be to reduce the amount of transportation required and stop busing kids all over the place to support outdated boundaries.

Boundary changes, plus safer walking and biking routes to school, plus using RideOn/Metrobus instead of school buses where possible - that might do it. Unfortunately, all three seem to be equally unfeasible, politically.

Not everyone is in safe walking or biking distance to the school nor close to public bus or does the bus go near the school. None of those would be options for us. Its either us drive or bus.

Not everything has to be specifically for you. If people who ARE in walking/biking distance of the school, or close to the public bus, walk/bike/take the public bus instead of requiring school bus transportation as currently, then that frees up existing school bus resources, which gives MCPS more flexibility, which potentially allows MCPS to adjust the school start times so that they are more in line with what's best for high school students instead of what's best for school bus transportation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Or, you could just drive your kids to school. Seems simple enough to me. Surely you could drive your kid.. or are you the lazy one?

Your kids may not be doing much but some of our kids are. My kids have activities every day right after school so a later start time would be an issue with getting them to activities on time, then homework, shower, dinner and bed. Just because you have an issue in your home you refuse to fix, does not mean the rest of us should cater to you.

Really, drive your kid.

Why are you even posting here if it has no impact on your child if they aren't MCPS? The issue isn't the same here as what you are saying. Kids aren't going to school early.

Because we need to add more cars to the pick-up and drop-off chaos around high schools!

Then, stop complaining. Simple. Either drive your kid so they can sleep more or have them get up even earlier because you are too lazy to drive them.

The principal at my high school regularly sends emails asking parents to please have their kids take the school bus, or if they must drive, to arrive much earlier in the drop-off car line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS looked into this several years back and ended up adjusting times by 20 minutes. (HS used to start at 7:25 am!)

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/belltimes/index.aspx

We spent tons of $ and time to move the school day 20 minutes a number of years ago. Not worth the effort to have them adjust the schedule 10 minutes more. Central office is really opposed to significantly changing the start time for high school. Supposedly it will hurt brown people. My kids were at a majority brown school and none of those parents seemed to care, but, central office apparently has the pulse of the people!

Some HS students need to leave school early enough to get to a job or to pick up their younger sibling from elementary school.

And all HS students need to get enough sleep - that t should trump the need of some HS students to end the day early.

Sure. Let's not think of the many many students who have actual obligations and responsibilities to help their families. Your kid may not have those but if you look beyond your bubble, you might be able to see that. No one is taking away the HS students' sleep. That's on them if they're choosing to go to bed at midnight. My high schooler is in bed by 10 pm and is awake by 6:15 am. How do you think the HS swim team does it? My niece has to be at the aquatics center, where they have their practices by 4:30 in the morning. I mean, we're not asking these kids to do anything out of the ordinary. Most of the working adults I know go to bed by a decent time to wake up in time for work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS looked into this several years back and ended up adjusting times by 20 minutes. (HS used to start at 7:25 am!)

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/belltimes/index.aspx

We spent tons of $ and time to move the school day 20 minutes a number of years ago. Not worth the effort to have them adjust the schedule 10 minutes more. Central office is really opposed to significantly changing the start time for high school. Supposedly it will hurt brown people. My kids were at a majority brown school and none of those parents seemed to care, but, central office apparently has the pulse of the people!

Some HS students need to leave school early enough to get to a job or to pick up their younger sibling from elementary school.

And all HS students need to get enough sleep - that t should trump the need of some HS students to end the day early.

Not if you have to be at work from 3-7 PM every schoolday to help your parents make ends meet. BTDT as an 12-17 year old. Anxiety over food, shelter, and clothing will keep you from getting that extra 90 minutes of sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC parent here. Curious how this is for your teens. We are unhappy parents at a DC public school considering moving. The start time for DCPS High Schools is 9am which is one of the only things they do that is smart. How are your kids' sleep habits with such an early start. Most research points to the reverse schedule for (older kids need to start later) and curious why MCPS is set up like this. Not sure if this issue has come up before or if they are considering changing it?

MCPS Level Time Length of Day
High School 7:45 a.m.–2:30 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Middle School 8:15 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Elementary School Tier 1 9:00 a.m.–3:25 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes
Elementary School Tier 2 9:25 a.m.–3:50 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes

Not this again! You do realize we've been over this again and again. There's no easy solution. It's been debated to death and we've found the best compromise short of raising taxes to pay for more bus drivers. Maybe a better solution would be to reduce the amount of transportation required and stop busing kids all over the place to support outdated boundaries.

Boundary changes, plus safer walking and biking routes to school, plus using RideOn/Metrobus instead of school buses where possible - that might do it. Unfortunately, all three seem to be equally unfeasible, politically.

The RideOn has been very popular in the DCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS looked into this several years back and ended up adjusting times by 20 minutes. (HS used to start at 7:25 am!)

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/belltimes/index.aspx

We spent tons of $ and time to move the school day 20 minutes a number of years ago. Not worth the effort to have them adjust the schedule 10 minutes more. Central office is really opposed to significantly changing the start time for high school. Supposedly it will hurt brown people. My kids were at a majority brown school and none of those parents seemed to care, but, central office apparently has the pulse of the people!

Some HS students need to leave school early enough to get to a job or to pick up their younger sibling from elementary school.

And all HS students need to get enough sleep - that t should trump the need of some HS students to end the day early.

Sure. Let's not think of the many many students who have actual obligations and responsibilities to help their families. Your kid may not have those but if you look beyond your bubble, you might be able to see that. No one is taking away the HS students' sleep. That's on them if they're choosing to go to bed at midnight. My high schooler is in bed by 10 pm and is awake by 6:15 am. How do you think the HS swim team does it? My niece has to be at the aquatics center, where they have their practices by 4:30 in the morning. I mean, we're not asking these kids to do anything out of the ordinary. Most of the working adults I know go to bed by a decent time to wake up in time for work.

Who the hell cares if your niece has to get up at 4:30 for swim. That has nothing to do with school and not obligatory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS looked into this several years back and ended up adjusting times by 20 minutes. (HS used to start at 7:25 am!)

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/belltimes/index.aspx

We spent tons of $ and time to move the school day 20 minutes a number of years ago. Not worth the effort to have them adjust the schedule 10 minutes more. Central office is really opposed to significantly changing the start time for high school. Supposedly it will hurt brown people. My kids were at a majority brown school and none of those parents seemed to care, but, central office apparently has the pulse of the people!

Some HS students need to leave school early enough to get to a job or to pick up their younger sibling from elementary school.

And all HS students need to get enough sleep - that t should trump the need of some HS students to end the day early.

Not if you have to be at work from 3-7 PM every schoolday to help your parents make ends meet. BTDT as an 12-17 year old. Anxiety over food, shelter, and clothing will keep you from getting that extra 90 minutes of sleep.

The kid has to work excuse is nonsense.