Fcps elementary school time change

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think in an are like this one with so many two parent working families, and a cost if living that requires that in many cases, the fact that SACC is not available to all who need it is inexcusable. I'd be happy to pay more for it, have costs be based on income, etc...but they need to have the spots.

Suggestion: find a neighborhood babysitter. They do exist.




[/quote

In all seriousness, I need someone for like 20 minutes in the morning. Even if I paid for an hour of time, do you think I could find a reliable sitter who would want that job at 8 am?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It concerns me that they sent an advance email before posting the schedule....like a warning for us to brace ourselves for big changes.

The changes for elementaries, announced this week, range from five minutes' to fifteen minutes' difference from this year's start or ending times, as far as I can see. Not sure if you consider those big changes. I don't.

The process for changing these times was open to the public, and FCPS notified parents on its web site, by e-mails, on school web sites, etc. of public meetings about start time changes. Those meetings gave information about how much start times would change in ES, MS and HS under each potential option. Though the meetings did not list specific schools (nothing like "Sally Jones Elementary will begin at 8:10 a.m."), they did mention a range of times -- such as, under option one, ES start times would be five to 10 minutes earlier, or under another option, start times would be the same, etc. The options were on their web site for a long time for parents to see, though you could not have looked up your one specific school until this week. But a change in the range of five to 15 minutes should not come as a surprise to anyone.

Our ES is starting 25 min. later, and dismissing 40 minutes later- it is a substantial change (and a very long day for the Kindergarteners).

Yes, but most of them are adjusting 5 to 10 minutes. Somehow I think the kindergartners will survive. Nearly a half hour at the end of the day seems to be packing up anyhow.

What's strikes me is that we're hearing very little on these boards from people making the biggest changes -- the high schoolers and middle schoolers. I suspect that's in part because parents are more seasoned with the school system -- they also realize having had kids in MS and perhaps HS as well as ES, that it's not all about them and their kids. Honestly, the people whining about 5 and 10 minute changes at their elementary schools when some middle schoolers will have to be on the bus by 6:30, need to chill and perhaps develop a little resilience if they're going to keep their kids in the public school system. There are a lot of different needs to be met here.

Seriously, you're a jerk. Doesn't affect you, so you don't care.

Plus, plenty of us have kids in elementary, middle, and high school all at once. We're plenty seasoned, thank you.

Not the case at all. When my kids were in elementary they adjusted the time later by 15 minutes. Somehow I survived. And again, I have complete sympathy with someone who's kid's day has shifted by 40 minutes. But people complaining about 5 to 10 minute changes when there are plenty of others in the FCPS facing much bigger changes/hardships just strikes me as entitled. Sorry if that comes off as jerky to you.

You said, and I quote, that the Olde Creek kindergartners who are dealing with the shift "will survive." Perhaps you don't know that Olde Creek's time gets changed, on average, every couple years. The shift in total has been nearly one hour since we've been in the system. Yeah, it's a hardship when parents have to overhaul work schedules and childcare on a regular basis, particularly when it seems few to no other schools in the system get jerked around like that.

I didn't know that. What have the previous Olde Creek hours been? I bet it's because it's so small, and the parents generally seem to go with the flow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe FCPS should be offering resiliency presentations to FCPS parents, and not the students.

seriously

You felt the need to post that you think it's funny that people are pissed off about changes that are being imposed on them? You have nothing to contribute except "lol"? I suggest you go to hell. The majority of us do not want this. It's not a joke, it's not funny, there are consequences for some of us. I imagine you'd appreciate it if people didn't make light of things that are causing problems in your life, so grow the hell up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think in an are like this one with so many two parent working families, and a cost if living that requires that in many cases, the fact that SACC is not available to all who need it is inexcusable. I'd be happy to pay more for it, have costs be based on income, etc...but they need to have the spots.

Suggestion: find a neighborhood babysitter. They do exist.




[/quote

In all seriousness, I need someone for like 20 minutes in the morning. Even if I paid for an hour of time, do you think I could find a reliable sitter who would want that job at 8 am?

We tried it once when our SACC didn't have a waitlist and interviewed about 5 promising people before picking the one we thought was most reliable but after the 5th cancellation over a 4 week period we decided to just opt for SACC.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if some PTA will sponsor before school classes or activities to help provide more enrichment as well as babysitting for parents who need to get to work.

[Anonymous]

It's cute that you believe that the broader community wanted this.

How do you know the "broader community" didn't? I know a lot of people who are very happy with the changes. My anecdotal data is just as good as yours.

We are a 2 parent working household. I find it somewhat baffling that people expect such static schedules. That is not my experience at all. At my work, at the start of the school year, people's schedules shuffle a fair amount. For most parents, they would have to move as your kids move from ES to MS to HS anyway. In grades 6-9, most FCPS kids would be on 3 different schedules. This is true regardless of this change, so parents need to be prepared for those years.

I'm sure it's because we had one of the earliest starting MS already, but it will be a huge relief to us to have the HS at 8:10.

[Anonymous]

In all seriousness, I need someone for like 20 minutes in the morning. Even if I paid for an hour of time, do you think I could find a reliable sitter who would want that job at 8 am?

It is certainly possible. I don't mean someone to come to your house--I mean someone who stays home with her kids and would like a little extra money. You could hire her for snow days, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's cute that you believe that the broader community wanted this.

How do you know the "broader community" didn't? I know a lot of people who are very happy with the changes. My anecdotal data is just as good as yours.

We are a 2 parent working household. I find it somewhat baffling that people expect such static schedules. That is not my experience at all. At my work, at the start of the school year, people's schedules shuffle a fair amount. For most parents, they would have to move as your kids move from ES to MS to HS anyway. In grades 6-9, most FCPS kids would be on 3 different schedules. This is true regardless of this change, so parents need to be prepared for those years.

I'm sure it's because we had one of the earliest starting MS already, but it will be a huge relief to us to have the HS at 8:10.

+1. The agita on this board is simply not representative. The later HS start times are a godsend, and we look forward to later MS start times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Man, 9:20 just seems so late to start school. Especially on a two hour delay day. They will go straight to lunch!

Agree! I can't be how late our ES starts! 1:45 later than some! That is a highe variation!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's cute that you believe that the broader community wanted this.

How do you know the "broader community" didn't? I know a lot of people who are very happy with the changes. My anecdotal data is just as good as yours.

We are a 2 parent working household. I find it somewhat baffling that people expect such static schedules. That is not my experience at all. At my work, at the start of the school year, people's schedules shuffle a fair amount. For most parents, they would have to move as your kids move from ES to MS to HS anyway. In grades 6-9, most FCPS kids would be on 3 different schedules. This is true regardless of this change, so parents need to be prepared for those years.

I'm sure it's because we had one of the earliest starting MS already, but it will be a huge relief to us to have the HS at 8:10.

+1. The agita on this board is simply not representative. The later HS start times are a godsend, and we look forward to later MS start times.

Not for everyone, but I recognize we are not in the majority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In all seriousness, I need someone for like 20 minutes in the morning. Even if I paid for an hour of time, do you think I could find a reliable sitter who would want that job at 8 am?

It is certainly possible. I don't mean someone to come to your house--I mean someone who stays home with her kids and would like a little extra money. You could hire her for snow days, too.

I know about 15 people who tried this and only one was successful and only for one year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It concerns me that they sent an advance email before posting the schedule....like a warning for us to brace ourselves for big changes.

The changes for elementaries, announced this week, range from five minutes' to fifteen minutes' difference from this year's start or ending times, as far as I can see. Not sure if you consider those big changes. I don't.

The process for changing these times was open to the public, and FCPS notified parents on its web site, by e-mails, on school web sites, etc. of public meetings about start time changes. Those meetings gave information about how much start times would change in ES, MS and HS under each potential option. Though the meetings did not list specific schools (nothing like "Sally Jones Elementary will begin at 8:10 a.m."), they did mention a range of times -- such as, under option one, ES start times would be five to 10 minutes earlier, or under another option, start times would be the same, etc. The options were on their web site for a long time for parents to see, though you could not have looked up your one specific school until this week. But a change in the range of five to 15 minutes should not come as a surprise to anyone.

Our ES is starting 25 min. later, and dismissing 40 minutes later- it is a substantial change (and a very long day for the Kindergarteners).

Old Creek? Call the school as it just doesn't seem right if you start at 8:30 you should end at 3:15 not 3:25. Every elementary is suppose to have 6:45 hours of "instructional" time this year. maybe a printed mistake?? I hope.

NP here. Yes, Olde Creek. The principal, whom I happen to admire, is meeting with the regional superintendent to find out what this is all about.

I have said it several times on these boards: these changes are NOT coming from the rank and file but from higher ups who could not be further disconnected from the actual needs of students.

But we're a small school and not the wealthiest in the county, so screw us, apparently.

We were a wealthy small school closed by FCPS because are tests scores were too high. FCPS wants LARGE schools. They don't really care about the kids. The kids are just a number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


In all seriousness, I need someone for like 20 minutes in the morning. Even if I paid for an hour of time, do you think I could find a reliable sitter who would want that job at 8 am?


It is certainly possible. I don't mean someone to come to your house--I mean someone who stays home with her kids and would like a little extra money. You could hire her for snow days, too.






I know about 15 people who tried this and only one was successful and only for one year.

That's too bad. Were they willing to pay generously? Or, did they just ask someone to help out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's cute that you believe that the broader community wanted this.

How do you know the "broader community" didn't? I know a lot of people who are very happy with the changes. My anecdotal data is just as good as yours.

We are a 2 parent working household. I find it somewhat baffling that people expect such static schedules. That is not my experience at all. At my work, at the start of the school year, people's schedules shuffle a fair amount. For most parents, they would have to move as your kids move from ES to MS to HS anyway. In grades 6-9, most FCPS kids would be on 3 different schedules. This is true regardless of this change, so parents need to be prepared for those years.

I'm sure it's because we had one of the earliest starting MS already, but it will be a huge relief to us to have the HS at 8:10.

+1. The agita on this board is simply not representative. The later HS start times are a godsend, and we look forward to later MS start times.

Later HS start times are a godsend? I'm sure the parents of middle school kids wouldn't share your enthusiasm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe FCPS should be offering resiliency presentations to FCPS parents, and not the students.

This is funny as shit. These are parents were raised as special "snowflakes". God help us all.