Anyone else object to starting Fairfax County middle schools earlier just to start hs later?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The survey results from parents were really unclear. They just asked what the benefits of each option were. I don't think they even looked at it.

Based on what? Everything was reviewed as I have a friend on the school board.

Face it, this change is going to happen. It needs to happen. It's for the health of kids. And no matter how much that screws people's schedules up, we're all going to have to adjust. Kind of like half-day Mondays and the new school schedule.

There were a lot of negative comments for Option 3. I didn't see a full analysis done of the comments - just a listing for each Option of what people typed in word for word. At least for full-day Mondays, they were able to show that a majority of parents wanted the change, although a majority of teachers did not want full day Mondays. With the 4 options for later start times, it seemed that "no change" was a commonly expressed opinion, otherwise it seemed there was alot of support for Options 1 and 4.

I wish the school board would take the approach of the Hippocratic oath - first, do no harm. If it's indeed "for the health of kids", it should be done for all kids, without making it worse for some kids. The money is out there. How much did they pay Children's to do the study? They could have just bought more buses.

That would be important IF the school board ever listened to parent/community input. I participated in last year's attempt to update the SR&R and they accepted NONE of the dozens of recommended changes of the workgroup made up of many diverse members of the community and constituencies. This will be no different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The survey results from parents were really unclear. They just asked what the benefits of each option were. I don't think they even looked at it.

Based on what? Everything was reviewed as I have a friend on the school board.

Face it, this change is going to happen. It needs to happen. It's for the health of kids. And no matter how much that screws people's schedules up, we're all going to have to adjust. Kind of like half-day Mondays and the new school schedule.

If the survey results were reviewed, then the overwhelmingly negative response to Option 3 would have been noted and not pushed forward. Or the School Board doesn't care. Take your pick, the School Board is either incompetent or indifferent.

Also, "the health of the kids"? Please provide any evidence that the health of Fairfax County students are harmed by the current schedule. Hundreds of thousands of kids have graduated under this schedule, so you surely have some evidence, right?

"Think of the children" is the worst justification for any public policy. None of this "needs" to happen. Some vocal minority wants it done at the expense of everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing that became apparent a long time ago was that a very vocal minority would spam any and all internet forums with posts expressing their opposition to a change in HS start times.

I have no idea whether a majority of parents support or oppose the change. I do know that there is substantial research supporting later start times for older adolescents, and that the issue won't either be decided or fairly portrayed here.

You clearly haven't read the research, as it is not nearly as "substantial" as you claim it is.

Also, the only vocal minority is the busybodies at SLEEP, everyone else was fine with the current schedule.

[Anonymous]

Oh, did I call SLEEP a bunch of busybodies? I should have said hypocrites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that became apparent a long time ago was that a very vocal minority would spam any and all internet forums with posts expressing their opposition to a change in HS start times.

I have no idea whether a majority of parents support or oppose the change. I do know that there is substantial research supporting later start times for older adolescents, and that the issue won't either be decided or fairly portrayed here.

You clearly haven't read the research, as it is not nearly as "substantial" as you claim it is.

Also, the only vocal minority is the busybodies at SLEEP, everyone else was fine with the current schedule.

Right, just in case PP needed any help proving her point, you provided it. Thanks, vocal minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that became apparent a long time ago was that a very vocal minority would spam any and all internet forums with posts expressing their opposition to a change in HS start times.

I have no idea whether a majority of parents support or oppose the change. I do know that there is substantial research supporting later start times for older adolescents, and that the issue won't either be decided or fairly portrayed here.

You clearly haven't read the research, as it is not nearly as "substantial" as you claim it is.

Also, the only vocal minority is the busybodies at SLEEP, everyone else was fine with the current schedule.

Right, just in case PP needed any help proving her point, you provided it. Thanks, vocal minority.

Your welcome. I would agree that it's better to stay on an Internet forum than to railroad an entire county school system to change its schedule and pointlessly incur costs of $5 million for no improvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just think it's funny how so many people are worried about their up-coming ms students having to go to school at 7:30, when thousands of ms students in FCPS have been doing this for the last 40 years! Like you never noticed that other kids (at the secondary schools) had a raw deal? And suddenly now that it's your kid, it's unacceptable?

Suck it up. It's your kids' turn to catch the 6:40 a.m. bus.

So true. Once it affects someone personally, then it becomes unacceptable, but if it's someone else's kid waiting outside in the dark? Oh well, too bad.

Our middle school has always started at 7:40am, so 7:30 won't be a huge difference. The kids will still be waiting outside in the pitch dark for a 6:20 bus.

It's always been unacceptable, no one thinks otherwise. Many of us were hoping for an across the board improvement. I don't know why people think it's about "turns" or "sucking it up" because things were done a certain way in the past, everyone deserves to suffer at some point. It's faulty thinking. There isn't one way that will work for all students and families, but it is ironic that a mission to start school later is actually starting school earlier.

Well, it's not about "turns"--- but the proposal IS an improvement for the majority of kids affected by early schedules now. It's not a 100% improvement, but it IS progress. So, the complaining we see here appears to be more about NIMBY (or not in my kid's schedule). There will be fewer kids with early schedules than there are right now. It's good for the majority... just not for you who have ms kids (not at secondary schools).

EXACTLY. Is the new schedule ideal? No, but it's an improvement for high schoolers. It would be great if FCPS could make MS start times later too and I think they said they're working toward that. But all of our kids will eventually be in high school, so why not start the process there? I'm all for the change and I appreciate that they've (hopefully) finally decided to implement it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Have you tried to get a student into U.VA or William and Mary lately with no extracurricular activities, just grades and SAT scores?

+1000

Uh, yeah... not every student is even interested in UVa or W&M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that sports are great. I had one who did sports and one who did not. People might be surprised to know that there are a lot of activities other than sports that are going to be negatively impacted by the new times.

The new times shouldn't have a negative effect on extracurriculars. TJ runs from 8:30 to 3:50, with sports and many other extracurriculars starting about four and going till about six. Lots of very involved kids there, with long commutes to boot, and they manage to get it all done.

+100
Honestly, I can't stand listening to the Chicken Littles who insist the sky is falling with every change FCPS implements. Some of these changes are for the BETTER for some people, but not all.

Your key words being for some people, but not all.
However I believe Garza is cow-tailing to a loud mouth minority. Not to mention spending frivolously with an already strapped budget. What the heck did they pay Children's Hospital for their biased study, and, all the other hands from Fairfax county that touched the SURVEY? All unnecessary. An honest to goodness democratic vote of those with school aged children would have solved the issue much cheaper and effectively. It seems to me Garza is not listening to the school aged kids parents and plowing ahead with whatever "bigger" plan she envisions. I am not convinced she is "changing" in the right direction/areas!

Could be AAP you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that sports are great. I had one who did sports and one who did not. People might be surprised to know that there are a lot of activities other than sports that are going to be negatively impacted by the new times.

The new times shouldn't have a negative effect on extracurriculars. TJ runs from 8:30 to 3:50, with sports and many other extracurriculars starting about four and going till about six. Lots of very involved kids there, with long commutes to boot, and they manage to get it all done.

+100
Honestly, I can't stand listening to the Chicken Littles who insist the sky is falling with every change FCPS implements. Some of these changes are for the BETTER for some people, but not all.

I wrote the last quote, but you seem to have changed it. I did not originally say "better for some people, but not all". I said "some of these changes are for the BETTER". Meaning, you can't please everyone, so try to do the best you can for the most people. Please don't change someone else's words around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that sports are great. I had one who did sports and one who did not. People might be surprised to know that there are a lot of activities other than sports that are going to be negatively impacted by the new times.

The new times shouldn't have a negative effect on extracurriculars. TJ runs from 8:30 to 3:50, with sports and many other extracurriculars starting about four and going till about six. Lots of very involved kids there, with long commutes to boot, and they manage to get it all done.

Agreed. The whole not time for sports with the new schedules argument is a straw man. The only thing that may be more difficult with high schoolers going to school later is that it may be more difficult to cram every kind of extracurricular in -- musical instruments, service organization, travel sport, math counts, etc. But making kids choose between their xtra curriculars may actually help them learn a valuable lesson about choices and tradeoffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Have you tried to get a student into U.VA or William and Mary lately with no extracurricular activities, just grades and SAT scores?

+1000

Uh, yeah... not every student is even interested in UVa or W&M.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The survey results from parents were really unclear. They just asked what the benefits of each option were. I don't think they even looked at it.

Based on what? Everything was reviewed as I have a friend on the school board.

Face it, this change is going to happen. It needs to happen. It's for the health of kids. And no matter how much that screws people's schedules up, we're all going to have to adjust. Kind of like half-day Mondays and the new school schedule.

so friend of the school board - any idea where I can look up the survey results for viewing? I would love to see if my comments made it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The survey results from parents were really unclear. They just asked what the benefits of each option were. I don't think they even looked at it.

Based on what? Everything was reviewed as I have a friend on the school board.

Face it, this change is going to happen. It needs to happen. It's for the health of kids. And no matter how much that screws people's schedules up, we're all going to have to adjust. Kind of like half-day Mondays and the new school schedule.

so friend of the school board - any idea where I can look up the survey results for viewing? I would love to see if my comments made it.

It was posted on the fcps.edu website in the School Board area. Where have you looked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, did I call SLEEP a bunch of busybodies? I should have said hypocrites.

SLEEP doesn't care about the health of kids 12-14, who are most likely the ones going through puberty, rather than the high schoolers?