New school start times survey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I keep seeing the argument that games for high school would not finish until too late. Why would they change? JV typically start at 5/5:30 and varsity 7/7:30. Still plenty of time to keep at same time.

The buses athletics use to travel are the same buses and drivers we use to get kids home from school. Currently, it is almost impossible to get a bus for an away game until 4:30 because the elementary bus runs end around 4:15. You back everything up and that time becomes 5-5:30 making it impossible to start JV contests until 6:30. Not to mention sports like basketball and volleyball play all 3 levels on the same night.
Football plays freshman and JV games on Thursday nights and those games already don’t end until 9:30-10pm. With return travel many kids aren’t getting home until 11 with school the next day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Is there a single argument why 9-50 is good for elementary start? A single elementary school teacher making a point that kids will do better academically? Like even work accommodations aside, this is just bad for kids. 9-15 is already bad. 30 extra minutes is worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll vote for any option where no 12+ year old kids has to start before 830a, consistent with the widely available research and national trends. I don't care much if it 830, 9, or 930a, or anywhere in between, as long as it's no earlier than 830a.

I am likewise fine with my ES kids starting as early at 730a, they're up anyway and are mentally done by around 3p regardless of start time.

Keep the middle schoolers on their current schedule

It is the best option for everyone.

No, that's a terrible option for most middle schoolers.

Option 1 seems to make the most sense, ES-aged kids are generally fine with earlier start times (I'm sure there are exceptions but talking about the vast majority of kids, nothing will please everyone). MS-aged kids get aligned to start times that are developmentally appropriate, and SS/HS remain so.

[Anonymous]

Best option is to leave as is - I have had kid go through MS - yes it’s early but it’s fine and gives more time to settle into MS homework and studying new demands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sort of coming around to option 1 - I wouldn’t mind a later start to both middle school and high school. My only concern would be homework - especially high schoolers. They get a lot and it would be tough to have enough time after school with the later start time. Then kids would have to stay up later to finish, which sort of defeats the purpose of a later start time.

The late start time is awful for high school kids.

It would put things like Games and the musical going until 11PM. High school students who need jobs would have difficulty finding them. Practices would go too late. It wil be more difficult forclub spinsors and coaches.

Keep the current schedule.

Do whatever it takes to give the high school kids the best schedule for their grades, activities and sports, to maximize their college applications.

If they must move it, flip Elementary and middle school, moving the entire schedule a minumum amount later, like no more than 20 minutes later.

The prioritymust be high school students over the 2 years of middle school.

I agree with the priority being high school. The ata why I chose option 2, but that pisses the elementary crowd off.

I was an elementary teacher. The option 2 is unacceptable. Do you not want the future high school kids to have a good foundation?

I either want to keep the current schedule, or move middle school to 9:30-4:45 if the could figure out how to keep the MS teachers from quitting.

Honestly, the current schedule is best.

Only some of the middle schools start in the earliest slot since all the middle schools attached to secondary schools are on the high school schedule (Robinson, SoCo, LB, etc)

Giving middle schools the 8:00 start time benefits the fewest amount of FCPS students. It even makes things worse for thousands of middle schoolers at secondary schools.

It's like the school board can't do math.

If they can figure out how to move middle school to the 9:20-4:05 slot (the current late ES slot) and keep high school times as is, there would be less pushback from secondary. They wouldn’t be going any later than they did in ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll vote for any option where no 12+ year old kids has to start before 830a, consistent with the widely available research and national trends. I don't care much if it 830, 9, or 930a, or anywhere in between, as long as it's no earlier than 830a.

I am likewise fine with my ES kids starting as early at 730a, they're up anyway and are mentally done by around 3p regardless of start time.

Keep the middle schoolers on their current schedule

It is the best option for everyone.

No, that's a terrible option for most middle schoolers.

Option 1 seems to make the most sense, ES-aged kids are generally fine with earlier start times (I'm sure there are exceptions but talking about the vast majority of kids, nothing will please everyone). MS-aged kids get aligned to start times that are developmentally appropriate, and SS/HS remain so.

Middle school is just two years. They’ll cope. People like you are why we’re in this mess.

They should leave the times as is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Not everyone has the luxury to have 1 parent cover before and the other parent cover after. Single parents for one, but also where one or both of the parents travels a lot and/or has little flexibility. My job requires me to be in the office by 9 am at the latest. 30 min later would significantly more challenging for me to make that, especially when my spouse is on special assignment or out of town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Not everyone has the luxury to have 1 parent cover before and the other parent cover after. Single parents for one, but also where one or both of the parents travels a lot and/or has little flexibility. My job requires me to be in the office by 9 am at the latest. 30 min later would significantly more challenging for me to make that, especially when my spouse is on special assignment or out of town.

To add, just as that creates problems for me before school, I can see how people might have the same problem at the end of the day.

[Anonymous]

[url]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll vote for any option where no 12+ year old kids has to start before 830a, consistent with the widely available research and national trends. I don't care much if it 830, 9, or 930a, or anywhere in between, as long as it's no earlier than 830a.

I am likewise fine with my ES kids starting as early at 730a, they're up anyway and are mentally done by around 3p regardless of start time.

Keep the middle schoolers on their current schedule

It is the best option for everyone.

No, that's a terrible option for most middle schoolers.

Option 1 seems to make the most sense, ES-aged kids are generally fine with earlier start times (I'm sure there are exceptions but talking about the vast majority of kids, nothing will please everyone). MS-aged kids get aligned to start times that are developmentally appropriate, and SS/HS remain so.

Except Option 1 has HS starting too late - 9 am is too late with all their homework and extracurriculars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

You fail to see why it's harder for working parents to get their kids to school at 9:50 than at 9:00? If you can't figure out why that is difficult, I can't help you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Not everyone has the luxury to have 1 parent cover before and the other parent cover after. Single parents for one, but also where one or both of the parents travels a lot and/or has little flexibility. My job requires me to be in the office by 9 am at the latest. 30 min later would significantly more challenging for me to make that, especially when my spouse is on special assignment or out of town.

NP. Their point was that the elementary schedule is already a joke, moving it back 30 minutes continues to make it a joke, the same as it has always been.

My child’s school begins at 9:15, how do people make that work? Exactly the same as how people will have to make 9:45 work of it passes. 1) get into SACC in the morning, 2) get into those morning daycare vans or 3) hire a babysitter or get a family member to watch your kid & get them to school.

Single parents have a difficult life, but that’s true whether the school begins at 7 or 8 or 9. What does that have to do with this schedule? They have 1 adult instead of 2, life is always going to be more difficult regardless of the schedule.

A dual working household where one or both parents travel a lot of have little flexibility -> how do you get your kid to a 9:15 school now? Do you work from home everyday? How do you get to your office by 9 if your child’s school begins at 9:15?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Not everyone has the luxury to have 1 parent cover before and the other parent cover after. Single parents for one, but also where one or both of the parents travels a lot and/or has little flexibility. My job requires me to be in the office by 9 am at the latest. 30 min later would significantly more challenging for me to make that, especially when my spouse is on special assignment or out of town.

To add, just as that creates problems for me before school, I can see how people might have the same problem at the end of the day.

Lots more options for after school care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Not everyone has the luxury to have 1 parent cover before and the other parent cover after. Single parents for one, but also where one or both of the parents travels a lot and/or has little flexibility. My job requires me to be in the office by 9 am at the latest. 30 min later would significantly more challenging for me to make that, especially when my spouse is on special assignment or out of town.

To add, just as that creates problems for me before school, I can see how people might have the same problem at the end of the day.

Lots more options for after school care.

Not if all the middle school and high school kids are in school later than their younger siblings. Some people rely on their older kids being home earlier in the day to watch their younger elementary aged kids

I think leaving as is or option 2 is best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

The current times don't really work, they suck, they're hard on parents and on kids. The extra 30 minutes would be even worse. I don't know why this is so hard for you to understand. I am guessing you're a SAHM with kids in an 8:30 - 3:30 elementary school. We would love 8:30 - 3:30, too, but we didn't get that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with the early start time for elementary kids is the early finish time. Right now a lot of dual working families can stagger their schedules to make the current times work. Without a significant increase in slots for after school SACC, option 1 isn’t viable.

The opposite is true for option 2. Without a significant increase in before-care SACC spots, it simply doesn’t work for a lot of working parents.

Then again, FCPS doesn’t give a shit about working parents, they probably won’t start now.

So if they (ES) parents can make the current times work, I fail to see how an extra 30 min later (Option 2) would be so devastating. They also are now saying the early schedule won’t work (Option1). Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Not everyone has the luxury to have 1 parent cover before and the other parent cover after. Single parents for one, but also where one or both of the parents travels a lot and/or has little flexibility. My job requires me to be in the office by 9 am at the latest. 30 min later would significantly more challenging for me to make that, especially when my spouse is on special assignment or out of town.

NP. Their point was that the elementary schedule is already a joke, moving it back 30 minutes continues to make it a joke, the same as it has always been.

My child’s school begins at 9:15, how do people make that work? Exactly the same as how people will have to make 9:45 work of it passes. 1) get into SACC in the morning, 2) get into those morning daycare vans or 3) hire a babysitter or get a family member to watch your kid & get them to school.

Single parents have a difficult life, but that’s true whether the school begins at 7 or 8 or 9. What does that have to do with this schedule? They have 1 adult instead of 2, life is always going to be more difficult regardless of the schedule.

A dual working household where one or both parents travel a lot of have little flexibility -> how do you get your kid to a 9:15 school now? Do you work from home everyday? How do you get to your office by 9 if your child’s school begins at 9:15?

DP but my kid has a 9:15 start and is on the bus at 8:55 at which point, I hop in the car and pull out of the driveway. I'm at work by 9:30, which is already not great and sometimes I have to take meetings from the car which nobody likes. If school starts at 9:50 and my kid's bus comes at 9:30, I would not get to work until after 10:00, which is unacceptable.