Elementary parents, pay attention to start times

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the time to “vote” is over and maybe don’t want that anyway as our family would love the latest start they could do- it would work for us. Likely better than to no my have new vote and people just reach out to board reps and the most vocal can win.

+1. We would love a later start across all years. We are all night owls! 🦉

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

It is silly. For kids who need more sleep, parents need to be parents and have them go to bed. My HS kid has some activities that start at 3:30, and others that start at 7:30 and don't let out till 9:30 PM. A later start would be nice but a nightmare.

I read somewhere that they were kicking elementary to a really late start. What a nightmare for parents and kids.

Its actually welcomed in our neighborhood.

Same here! I find it really funny that some posters think they can speak for everyone. For us, later elementary time is great.

A 10:00am elementary school start is "welcomed" in your entire neighborhood? I don't believe that.

It doesn't really matter what you "believe." You're welcome to your opinion about start times and I am as well. As are my neighbors who, yes - love the idea of a later start. Sorry!

Do none of your neighbors have kids that play sports? My oldest is in 3rd grade and it's already been two years of kiss and ride pick ups everyday just to get to practice on time (currently a late run school ending at 4:05) anything later than that it would make it impossible.

You’re speaking from a privileged viewpoint. Lots of kids don’t do anything afterschool. Costs money to do sports; need to have a family member available to drive them to activities. If they do something it is to go to SACC and stay until 6PM. In these cases, getting out of school at 4:30 or 5 doesn’t have any impact on their life or their schedule.

Rec sports offer financial aid and are inexpensive. They do however use fields that don’t have lights. Privilege is taking away those opportunity from kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It is silly. For kids who need more sleep, parents need to be parents and have them go to bed. My HS kid has some activities that start at 3:30, and others that start at 7:30 and don't let out till 9:30 PM. A later start would be nice but a nightmare.

I read somewhere that they were kicking elementary to a really late start. What a nightmare for parents and kids.

Its actually welcomed in our neighborhood.

Same here! I find it really funny that some posters think they can speak for everyone. For us, later elementary time is great.

A 10:00am elementary school start is "welcomed" in your entire neighborhood? I don't believe that.

It doesn't really matter what you "believe." You're welcome to your opinion about start times and I am as well. As are my neighbors who, yes - love the idea of a later start. Sorry!

Do none of your neighbors have kids that play sports? My oldest is in 3rd grade and it's already been two years of kiss and ride pick ups everyday just to get to practice on time (currently a late run school ending at 4:05) anything later than that it would make it impossible.

You’re speaking from a privileged viewpoint. Lots of kids don’t do anything afterschool. Costs money to do sports; need to have a family member available to drive them to activities. If they do something it is to go to SACC and stay until 6PM. In these cases, getting out of school at 4:30 or 5 doesn’t have any impact on their life or their schedule.

Rec sports offer financial aid and are inexpensive. They do however use fields that don’t have lights. Privilege is taking away those opportunity from kids.

They don’t care about your sports. They care about it costing $0 and being easy to implement.

This schedule is terrible for learning according to the teachers who are working with these kids all day. Teachers are also claiming they’ll leave over it, which is something that may cause staffing issues. If kids learning and teacher retention got zero priority, you seriously think they care about your “rec sports opportunities?”

Be realistic. That’s something YOU care about not FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It is silly. For kids who need more sleep, parents need to be parents and have them go to bed. My HS kid has some activities that start at 3:30, and others that start at 7:30 and don't let out till 9:30 PM. A later start would be nice but a nightmare.

I read somewhere that they were kicking elementary to a really late start. What a nightmare for parents and kids.

Its actually welcomed in our neighborhood.

Same here! I find it really funny that some posters think they can speak for everyone. For us, later elementary time is great.

A 10:00am elementary school start is "welcomed" in your entire neighborhood? I don't believe that.

It doesn't really matter what you "believe." You're welcome to your opinion about start times and I am as well. As are my neighbors who, yes - love the idea of a later start. Sorry!

Do none of your neighbors have kids that play sports? My oldest is in 3rd grade and it's already been two years of kiss and ride pick ups everyday just to get to practice on time (currently a late run school ending at 4:05) anything later than that it would make it impossible.

You’re speaking from a privileged viewpoint. Lots of kids don’t do anything afterschool. Costs money to do sports; need to have a family member available to drive them to activities. If they do something it is to go to SACC and stay until 6PM. In these cases, getting out of school at 4:30 or 5 doesn’t have any impact on their life or their schedule.

Rec sports offer financial aid and are inexpensive. They do however use fields that don’t have lights. Privilege is taking away those opportunity from kids.

They don’t care about your sports. They care about it costing $0 and being easy to implement.

This schedule is terrible for learning according to the teachers who are working with these kids all day. Teachers are also claiming they’ll leave over it, which is something that may cause staffing issues. If kids learning and teacher retention got zero priority, you seriously think they care about your “rec sports opportunities?”

Be realistic. That’s something YOU care about not FCPS.

Of course which is why we already struggle with school ending at 4:05. I was responding that wanting kids to be healthy and the opportunity to play sports is not based off of a privileged perspective. They need day light after school to get outside. Thinking parents can be home until 10 is more problematic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the time to “vote” is over and maybe don’t want that anyway as our family would love the latest start they could do- it would work for us. Likely better than to no my have new vote and people just reach out to board reps and the most vocal can win.

At the work session last night the school board seemed dissatisfied with all the options offered. They want to do another survey to catch more elementary and high school parents because they acknowledged this was only marketed as a middle school start study. They were trying to select a “no cost” solution, but realize that in any no cost solution there will be a losing group with terrible start times.

I recommend sharing your thoughts with your school board member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It is silly. For kids who need more sleep, parents need to be parents and have them go to bed. My HS kid has some activities that start at 3:30, and others that start at 7:30 and don't let out till 9:30 PM. A later start would be nice but a nightmare.

I read somewhere that they were kicking elementary to a really late start. What a nightmare for parents and kids.

Its actually welcomed in our neighborhood.

Same here! I find it really funny that some posters think they can speak for everyone. For us, later elementary time is great.

A 10:00am elementary school start is "welcomed" in your entire neighborhood? I don't believe that.

It doesn't really matter what you "believe." You're welcome to your opinion about start times and I am as well. As are my neighbors who, yes - love the idea of a later start. Sorry!

Do none of your neighbors have kids that play sports? My oldest is in 3rd grade and it's already been two years of kiss and ride pick ups everyday just to get to practice on time (currently a late run school ending at 4:05) anything later than that it would make it impossible.

You’re speaking from a privileged viewpoint. Lots of kids don’t do anything afterschool. Costs money to do sports; need to have a family member available to drive them to activities. If they do something it is to go to SACC and stay until 6PM. In these cases, getting out of school at 4:30 or 5 doesn’t have any impact on their life or their schedule.

So because *some* kids don't have the funds to do after school activities, no one should care that a good portion of FCPS students do afterschool activities that would be significantly impacted by shifting late start schools back to 9:50? What kind of argument is that?

[Anonymous]

The District wasted money with the useless Prismatic study and now are still at a stalemate with no activity. They can just kick the can further down the road. There’s been no action in the last 10 years. Might as well wait another 10.

[Anonymous]

Maybe they can somehow get funding for option B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It is silly. For kids who need more sleep, parents need to be parents and have them go to bed. My HS kid has some activities that start at 3:30, and others that start at 7:30 and don't let out till 9:30 PM. A later start would be nice but a nightmare.

I read somewhere that they were kicking elementary to a really late start. What a nightmare for parents and kids.

Its actually welcomed in our neighborhood.

Same here! I find it really funny that some posters think they can speak for everyone. For us, later elementary time is great.

A 10:00am elementary school start is "welcomed" in your entire neighborhood? I don't believe that.

It doesn't really matter what you "believe." You're welcome to your opinion about start times and I am as well. As are my neighbors who, yes - love the idea of a later start. Sorry!

Do none of your neighbors have kids that play sports? My oldest is in 3rd grade and it's already been two years of kiss and ride pick ups everyday just to get to practice on time (currently a late run school ending at 4:05) anything later than that it would make it impossible.

You’re speaking from a privileged viewpoint. Lots of kids don’t do anything afterschool. Costs money to do sports; need to have a family member available to drive them to activities. If they do something it is to go to SACC and stay until 6PM. In these cases, getting out of school at 4:30 or 5 doesn’t have any impact on their life or their schedule.

So because *some* kids don't have the funds to do after school activities, no one should care that a good portion of FCPS students do afterschool activities that would be significantly impacted by shifting late start schools back to 9:50? What kind of argument is that?

EQUITY !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the time to “vote” is over and maybe don’t want that anyway as our family would love the latest start they could do- it would work for us. Likely better than to no my have new vote and people just reach out to board reps and the most vocal can win.

At the work session last night the school board seemed dissatisfied with all the options offered. They want to do another survey to catch more elementary and high school parents because they acknowledged this was only marketed as a middle school start study. They were trying to select a “no cost” solution, but realize that in any no cost solution there will be a losing group with terrible start times.

I recommend sharing your thoughts with your school board member.

Wasn’t this last study $200,000????? Only winners here are the consultants who are getting windfall. FCPS could put out fast notice to all parents say please provide input to board rep by end of next week. Anything beyond that is a waste as will never make everyone happy and have never seen FCPS act based on majority of parent vote (whether that is for boundaries, FLE, whatever it is). At some point the Board just makes the call and waiting here is only so board can stall and roll out with boundaries so can be one giant anger fest by parents at one time and then that too shall pass.

[Anonymous]

Memory lane- here is DCUm thread from 2014- anything old is new again: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/412003.page

And here is FCPS timeline: https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2024-07/FCPS%20-%20Middle%20School%20Start%20Times%20-%20Background%20Document.pdf

[Anonymous]

I do not agree with moving ES start times. We already have a 9:20 start. If my DD does a club after school she doesn’t get out till 5:30. Delaying the day by a half hour she would not be out till almost 6PM. Leaves no time for swim team or other activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I do not agree with moving ES start times. We already have a 9:20 start. If my DD does a club after school she doesn’t get out till 5:30. Delaying the day by a half hour she would not be out till almost 6PM. Leaves no time for swim team or other activities.

Are you seriously putting your ES child in multiple extracurriculars during weekdays?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I do not agree with moving ES start times. We already have a 9:20 start. If my DD does a club after school she doesn’t get out till 5:30. Delaying the day by a half hour she would not be out till almost 6PM. Leaves no time for swim team or other activities.

Are you seriously putting your ES child in multiple extracurriculars during weekdays?

I am a 5th grade teacher and most of my students participate in multiple activities. I have been teaching for a very long time. This isn’t new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I do not agree with moving ES start times. We already have a 9:20 start. If my DD does a club after school she doesn’t get out till 5:30. Delaying the day by a half hour she would not be out till almost 6PM. Leaves no time for swim team or other activities.

Are you seriously putting your ES child in multiple extracurriculars during weekdays?

Not the poster you're responding to but my own experience as a parent to 2 lower elementary aged kids - Soccer practice for our local rec league is 2x a week for 1-1.5 hrs (x2 kids with different schedules). My kids also do hebrew school which meets once during the week for 2.5 hours. Adding in something like swim lessons, dance, karate, baseball, gymnastics, piano etc would move us to 4 or 5 days a week of afterschool activities and all of those activities add extra days or hours in if you advance to higher levels.

My kids were the odd ones out in the fall because they only did 1 sport. At least in our area (west springfield/lake braddock area), it's incredibly common to have your child in multiple extracurriculars starting as early as kindergarten.