New school start times survey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please, y'all need to realize it's going to be ok. The world will adapt...there will be childcare when there's a demand. Commutes will work out. Kids will still learn and have activities.

Or believe the hype that apparently there are only a couple golden hours a day when any child can focus. And most teachers will quit. And kids won't be able to do sports or have fun anymore. 🙄

The world will adapt = you will become poorer, more stressed, will spend less time with your kids, and you will be teaching them yourself in the little remaining time. 9-15 is already a lot to “adapt” to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

This. If they cannot make a schedule that is best for ALL kids within the budget, then they shouldn't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Option 2 is the obvious choice. Survey results have to be tilted like 90-10.

no freaking way do elementary parents want their kids starting at almost 10am. that is so late. little kids learn better early. they will be in school until almost 5

actually some do. yes. there are the 9-5 parents but there are also many parents whose jobs don’t allow them home in time for bedtime so idea of being able to spend more morning hours would be amazing! and for some parents that do after care, later school can be better too. for those parents and others, they’d be happy with later times and even happier if later times mean some families move/go private to get smaller class sizes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

And why should FCPS buy more buses and hire more drivers for later MS start times when it's diverting resources to deal with massive double bus routes for AAP? https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/fcps.fts/viz/SY2024-25StudentTransfersDashboard/ReadMe
Rocky Run 2024-25 had 225 AAP transferring in. That's double buses running through Stone attendance area to pick up 86 kids and 124 in the Liberty attendance area.

Franklin had 273 for double routes to go to Carson AAP. How many extra buses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

This. If they cannot make a schedule that is best for ALL kids within the budget, then they shouldn't do it.

This is why FCPS has been foolish to drag this out so long. They should just do or don’t so parents can then make decisions and everyone move on. As is FCPS has just created years of complaints

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

And why should FCPS buy more buses and hire more drivers for later MS start times when it's diverting resources to deal with massive double bus routes for AAP? https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/fcps.fts/viz/SY2024-25StudentTransfersDashboard/ReadMe
Rocky Run 2024-25 had 225 AAP transferring in. That's double buses running through Stone attendance area to pick up 86 kids and 124 in the Liberty attendance area.

Franklin had 273 for double routes to go to Carson AAP. How many extra buses?

The presentation from last December had some interesting data including the distribution of bus runs by time and a sample set of bus run lengths. Surprisingly the run for Franklin TO Franklin was one of the longest!

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/DBCPSG65FD03/$file/Presentation%20MS%20Start%20Times%20Dec%203%202024%20WS.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many after school activities can be before school instead. And the school district's mandate is to provide education for our children in a healthy environment (and healthy start times are backed by research)...not to make sure kids can go to clubs.

I'm incensed with the SB for lots related to the boundary review and programming, but making the start times change is in line with their responsibilities.

No, and no.

It is not possible for most high school sports and high commitment activities like marching band and the school musicals

and it is not just a problem for practices

Many sports and performances don't end until after 10PM. The teachers, directors and coaches often are there until almost 11PM.

Would you like the high schoolers to finish after 11PM and their coaches and directors at school until midnight?

Changing the schedule to appease the new 7th grade parents (because really, those are the only people complaining about early start times) is one of the stupidest ideas this school board ever came up with in their sea of stupid ideas.

HAHAHAHAHA that you think this is driven by any parents. This is driven by middle school teachers. There are A LOT of them and these hours don't work for them, especially not the ones with children. THIS. IS. ABOUT. TEACHERS.

You've got to be kidding.

Listen to middle school teachers at any school. The overwhelming majority LIKE the early hours and do not want the schedule changed.

Go to any professional development event with middle school teachers. The overwhelming majority LIKE the early hours and do not want the schedule changed.

Find someone who has access to the FCPS Teacher Facebook group and read the comments from middle school teachers. The overwhelming majority (who post) LIKE the early hours and do not want the schedule changed.

Read comments on Bluesky, Threads, X, Facebook, and Instagram. Middle school teachers post a lot. The overwhelming majority LIKE the early hours and do not want the schedule changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

And why should FCPS buy more buses and hire more drivers for later MS start times when it's diverting resources to deal with massive double bus routes for AAP? https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/fcps.fts/viz/SY2024-25StudentTransfersDashboard/ReadMe
Rocky Run 2024-25 had 225 AAP transferring in. That's double buses running through Stone attendance area to pick up 86 kids and 124 in the Liberty attendance area.

Franklin had 273 for double routes to go to Carson AAP. How many extra buses?

The presentation from last December had some interesting data including the distribution of bus runs by time and a sample set of bus run lengths. Surprisingly the run for Franklin TO Franklin was one of the longest!

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/DBCPSG65FD03/$file/Presentation%20MS%20Start%20Times%20Dec%203%202024%20WS.pdf

What the bus run lengths and the number of stops says to me is that a two year MS means that more stops are needed to fill a bus (compared to 6-8 Poe and Holmes) and this is exacerbated in non-AAP middle schools like Franklin, which has even fewer kids to pick up due to double bus runs with Carson. The Franklin zone is not that big to have a bus traveling so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

And why should FCPS buy more buses and hire more drivers for later MS start times when it's diverting resources to deal with massive double bus routes for AAP? https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/fcps.fts/viz/SY2024-25StudentTransfersDashboard/ReadMe
Rocky Run 2024-25 had 225 AAP transferring in. That's double buses running through Stone attendance area to pick up 86 kids and 124 in the Liberty attendance area.

Franklin had 273 for double routes to go to Carson AAP. How many extra buses?

The presentation from last December had some interesting data including the distribution of bus runs by time and a sample set of bus run lengths. Surprisingly the run for Franklin TO Franklin was one of the longest!

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/DBCPSG65FD03/$file/Presentation%20MS%20Start%20Times%20Dec%203%202024%20WS.pdf

Interesting read, so clearly not based on any sort of feedback from elementary school parents. Fix something for 2 years of school life and leave 7 years as an afterthought to balance expenses..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

And why should FCPS buy more buses and hire more drivers for later MS start times when it's diverting resources to deal with massive double bus routes for AAP? https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/fcps.fts/viz/SY2024-25StudentTransfersDashboard/ReadMe
Rocky Run 2024-25 had 225 AAP transferring in. That's double buses running through Stone attendance area to pick up 86 kids and 124 in the Liberty attendance area.

Franklin had 273 for double routes to go to Carson AAP. How many extra buses?

The presentation from last December had some interesting data including the distribution of bus runs by time and a sample set of bus run lengths. Surprisingly the run for Franklin TO Franklin was one of the longest!

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/DBCPSG65FD03/$file/Presentation%20MS%20Start%20Times%20Dec%203%202024%20WS.pdf

Thanks. Nothing in that about AAP in all MS. Note start times the same at base and AAP. Reid/Thru are not addressing the elephant in the room. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Transportation-Bell-Schedule-25-26%20SY.pdf

And last SY there were a whopping 270+ AAP bussed into Keene Mill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

And why should FCPS buy more buses and hire more drivers for later MS start times when it's diverting resources to deal with massive double bus routes for AAP? https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/fcps.fts/viz/SY2024-25StudentTransfersDashboard/ReadMe
Rocky Run 2024-25 had 225 AAP transferring in. That's double buses running through Stone attendance area to pick up 86 kids and 124 in the Liberty attendance area.

Franklin had 273 for double routes to go to Carson AAP. How many extra buses?

The presentation from last December had some interesting data including the distribution of bus runs by time and a sample set of bus run lengths. Surprisingly the run for Franklin TO Franklin was one of the longest!

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/DBCPSG65FD03/$file/Presentation%20MS%20Start%20Times%20Dec%203%202024%20WS.pdf

Thanks. Nothing in that about AAP in all MS. Note start times the same at base and AAP. Reid/Thru are not addressing the elephant in the room. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Transportation-Bell-Schedule-25-26%20SY.pdf

And last SY there were a whopping 270+ AAP bussed into Keene Mill.

For this that are asking, above poster’s link has the start end times for all schools
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Transportation-Bell-Schedule-25-26%20SY.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all bullshit. Focus on the kids buy the godcdammed buses so middle school can start whenever you want. Don’t move ES times. If you can afford the busses don’t change everyone’s schedule and so many years and tax payer money.

And why should FCPS buy more buses and hire more drivers for later MS start times when it's diverting resources to deal with massive double bus routes for AAP? https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/fcps.fts/viz/SY2024-25StudentTransfersDashboard/ReadMe
Rocky Run 2024-25 had 225 AAP transferring in. That's double buses running through Stone attendance area to pick up 86 kids and 124 in the Liberty attendance area.

Franklin had 273 for double routes to go to Carson AAP. How many extra buses?

The presentation from last December had some interesting data including the distribution of bus runs by time and a sample set of bus run lengths. Surprisingly the run for Franklin TO Franklin was one of the longest!

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/DBCPSG65FD03/$file/Presentation%20MS%20Start%20Times%20Dec%203%202024%20WS.pdf

What the bus run lengths and the number of stops says to me is that a two year MS means that more stops are needed to fill a bus (compared to 6-8 Poe and Holmes) and this is exacerbated in non-AAP middle schools like Franklin, which has even fewer kids to pick up due to double bus runs with Carson. The Franklin zone is not that big to have a bus traveling so far.

Franklin's boundaries stretch pretty far from the actual school. Large parts of Oakton (Miller Heights, Windsong, etc.) are in the Franklin boundary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Option 2 is the obvious choice. Survey results have to be tilted like 90-10.

no freaking way do elementary parents want their kids starting at almost 10am. that is so late. little kids learn better early. they will be in school until almost 5

actually some do. yes. there are the 9-5 parents but there are also many parents whose jobs don’t allow them home in time for bedtime so idea of being able to spend more morning hours would be amazing! and for some parents that do after care, later school can be better too. for those parents and others, they’d be happy with later times and even happier if later times mean some families move/go private to get smaller class sizes

I think if you surveyed the majority of working parents with ES kids they would say a 9:50 start is ridiculous. Will there be a few it works for? Yes. I teach at a late ES and our parents are very vocal about how a 9:20 start is not ideal. My school is also in a high traffic area where a lot of people work. I can absolutely tell you the last hour will be a wash. It currently is. My mornings are way smoother with less behavior problems because the kids are more focused. Secondly, we gave kids in my school eating lunch at 1:30. Pushing things back would mean kids are eating at 2:00. Add in Early Release Wed, and a 9:50 start is a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many after school activities can be before school instead. And the school district's mandate is to provide education for our children in a healthy environment (and healthy start times are backed by research)...not to make sure kids can go to clubs.

I'm incensed with the SB for lots related to the boundary review and programming, but making the start times change is in line with their responsibilities.

No, and no.

It is not possible for most high school sports and high commitment activities like marching band and the school musicals

and it is not just a problem for practices

Many sports and performances don't end until after 10PM. The teachers, directors and coaches often are there until almost 11PM.

Would you like the high schoolers to finish after 11PM and their coaches and directors at school until midnight?

Changing the schedule to appease the new 7th grade parents (because really, those are the only people complaining about early start times) is one of the stupidest ideas this school board ever came up with in their sea of stupid ideas.

HAHAHAHAHA that you think this is driven by any parents. This is driven by middle school teachers. There are A LOT of them and these hours don't work for them, especially not the ones with children. THIS. IS. ABOUT. TEACHERS.

No, it is not about middle school teachers.

Middle school teachers want to keep the current schedule. Ask them. They are starting to get vocal about not wanting to change.

The elementary teachers REALLY do NOT want this change.

I teach MS and have since before the current start time change when MS/HS bell times flipped. Some teachers grumbled a bit about the change and it made it so I couldn’t drop off at SACC, but it actually made a lot of teachers commutes easier. I haven’t heard a single teacher in my building get excited about the potential to start later. People build their lives around the start times and the SB needs to just leave well enough alone.
Yes, getting up and starting school so early is a little rough during 1st quarter, but everyone adapts.

I’m honestly not sure what I will do if my kids ES switches to a 9:50 start. My husband currently gets the kids on the bus and can rush home to take a 9am call or can make it into his office in DC by 9:30. Telling a client/boss that you can’t make a 10am meeting is not going to fly for most people. And AM childcare is not as lucrative for businesses, so I don’t see the availability meeting demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the surveys have “community members” to have a vote? Is it for neighbors that don’t want buses at certain times on their streets? I actually am not trying to be sarcastic and am genuinely asking for anyone that knows- why allow community members a survey vote or to have access to survey at all? Also, nothing to keep people from submitting multiple surveys from different devices or lying about who are when completing-odd to me.

School times affect peoples' commutes.

When changes are 1/2 hour increments?

Yes. I currently leave my 4:05 end time school around 4:20. The days I leave even 10 mins later, my commute is longer.

You’ll either have to accept a longer commute or move to a school closer to you. It’s simple.