FCPS: Preliminary Menu of Potential Reductions and Fees

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're going to create middle school zombies instead.

nope. they'll move to address middle school start times next, but in the meantime the fewest kids will be impacted by early start times. many kids don't even hit puberty till after middle school so they don't have as difficult a time falling asleep at night as ALL high schoolers. Plus, presumably their parents of 12-14 year olds have an easier time enforcing a bedtime.

secondly, the pressures on middle-schoolers aren't as great academically as they are on high school students. most are taking 2- perhaps 3 high school courses in those two years. for high schoolers EVERYTHING counts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're going to create middle school zombies instead.

nope. they'll move to address middle school start times next, but in the meantime the fewest kids will be impacted by early start times. many kids don't even hit puberty till after middle school so they don't have as difficult a time falling asleep at night as ALL high schoolers. Plus, presumably their parents of 12-14 year olds have an easier time enforcing a bedtime.

secondly, the pressures on middle-schoolers aren't as great academically as they are on high school students. most are taking 2- perhaps 3 high school courses in those two years. for high schoolers EVERYTHING counts.

Your kids must be younger than MS. I have a middle schooler. She can not fall asleep before 10 or 11...she in in the throws of puberty...and there is nothing I can do to require her to go to sleep....I can have her in her bed at 9, but she does not fall asleep until 10 or 11....

Almost all middle schoolers are in the worst of puberty...at least the girls...

I am not looking forward to this school year....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're going to create middle school zombies instead.

nope. they'll move to address middle school start times next, but in the meantime the fewest kids will be impacted by early start times. many kids don't even hit puberty till after middle school so they don't have as difficult a time falling asleep at night as ALL high schoolers. Plus, presumably their parents of 12-14 year olds have an easier time enforcing a bedtime.

secondly, the pressures on middle-schoolers aren't as great academically as they are on high school students. most are taking 2- perhaps 3 high school courses in those two years. for high schoolers EVERYTHING counts.

Your kids must be younger than MS. I have a middle schooler. She can not fall asleep before 10 or 11...she in in the throws of puberty...and there is nothing I can do to require her to go to sleep....I can have her in her bed at 9, but she does not fall asleep until 10 or 11....

Almost all middle schoolers are in the worst of puberty...at least the girls...

I am not looking forward to this school year....

Sorry about your daughter. Console yourself that at least middle school is mostly about developing organizational skills and good study habits. And perhaps when she is getting up earlier, she'll fall asleep earlier.

I have two in high school now and one in college. I've been through the whole cycle and nothing is worse than the effects I've seen from the combination of lack of sleep and the stress of high school on kids. And these aren't just my kids. I work in the schools and I know tons of kids.

[Anonymous]

I have two in high school now and one in college. I've been through the whole cycle and nothing is worse than the effects I've seen from the combination of lack of sleep and the stress of high school on kids. And these aren't just my kids. I work in the schools and I know tons of kids.

LOL! Lots of us know tons of kids. Most of the high school teachers I know did not want the change.

My kids didn't love going to school early--but they did and did fine--as do most of them. If you think thirty minutes is going to change your life, good for you. I think it is ridiculous that FCPS is spending money on this change and turning all schools and households upside down. Rush hour is going to shock people with the buses on the road. And, the afternoon rush hour will be worse.

This was a political issue driven by people who are convinced that all will be rainbows and unicorns if their kids can just go to school thirty minutes later. What a crock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have two in high school now and one in college. I've been through the whole cycle and nothing is worse than the effects I've seen from the combination of lack of sleep and the stress of high school on kids. And these aren't just my kids. I work in the schools and I know tons of kids.

LOL! Lots of us know tons of kids. Most of the high school teachers I know did not want the change.

My kids didn't love going to school early--but they did and did fine--as do most of them. If you think thirty minutes is going to change your life, good for you. I think it is ridiculous that FCPS is spending money on this change and turning all schools and households upside down. Rush hour is going to shock people with the buses on the road. And, the afternoon rush hour will be worse.

This was a political issue driven by people who are convinced that all will be rainbows and unicorns if their kids can just go to school thirty minutes later. What a crock.

Not rainbows and unicorns, but better. There is certainly a vocal minority that is strongly opposed, but they are a minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I have two in high school now and one in college. I've been through the whole cycle and nothing is worse than the effects I've seen from the combination of lack of sleep and the stress of high school on kids. And these aren't just my kids. I work in the schools and I know tons of kids.

LOL! Lots of us know tons of kids. Most of the high school teachers I know did not want the change.

My kids didn't love going to school early--but they did and did fine--as do most of them. If you think thirty minutes is going to change your life, good for you. I think it is ridiculous that FCPS is spending money on this change and turning all schools and households upside down. Rush hour is going to shock people with the buses on the road. And, the afternoon rush hour will be worse.

This was a political issue driven by people who are convinced that all will be rainbows and unicorns if their kids can just go to school thirty minutes later. What a crock.

Not rainbows and unicorns, but better. There is certainly a vocal minority that is strongly opposed, but they are a minority.

I thought we wouldn't hear any more from them, once the schedules were official, but now they're back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would vote for eliminating IB (including middle and elementary schools, which is lot listed) and undoing the later start times. That should be around $10 million right there.

"It is not something we can consider at this time." --Dr. Karen Garza

39:50 mark of the linked YouTube video

I don't have time right now to watch the whole video, but did she say WHY that's not an option at this time? Is it b/c they spent so much money and political capital getting it implemented?

Pretty much what you said -- they already purchased the buses and the changes have already been put in place for FY 2016.

She also stated -- and the chair of the Budget Task Force explained in more detail -- what is on the possibilities list is just the result of brainstorming efforts. The task force did not remove items because it didn't fit with the philosophy of the School Board, etc. They just put everything on the table, and the only things removed were if it would not affect the operating budget in FY 2017, if it is already being done, or if it is illegal.

Dr. Garza emphasized the ultimate decision makers on any of these possibilities is the School Board, with her working with the Board.

FCPS's bus fleet is ridiculously old anyway. It was a good move to purchase some new busses.

[Anonymous]

The MS students at the county's secondary schools have been going to school at 6:40 (buses) with a 7:20 start time for .... oh let's see... the last 30 years! Get over yourselves! I'm just happy that our MS students (at a secondary school) FINALLY get the benefit of having an 8:00 start time like the HS students at the secondary school. FINALLY, there is a benefit to being in a secondary school pyramid!

Cry me a river (for those who are just dealing with MS-ers having an early start and bitchin' about it).

[Anonymous]

nope. they'll move to address middle school start times next,

How much will that cost? We can't even afford to the later high school times.

but in the meantime the fewest kids will be impacted by early start times.

You do know that middle school kids actually need more sleep than high school kids? Did the hypocrites at SLEEP forget that little fact?

many kids don't even hit puberty till after middle school so they don't have as difficult a time falling asleep at night as ALL high schoolers.

I'd love to see some evidence that ALL high schoolers have a difficult time getting to sleep.

secondly, the pressures on middle-schoolers aren't as great academically as they are on high school students. most are taking 2- perhaps 3 high school courses in those two years. for high schoolers EVERYTHING counts.

So EVERYTHING counts for high schoolers? Then perhaps they should take their studies seriously and get to bed on time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I have two in high school now and one in college. I've been through the whole cycle and nothing is worse than the effects I've seen from the combination of lack of sleep and the stress of high school on kids. And these aren't just my kids. I work in the schools and I know tons of kids.

LOL! Lots of us know tons of kids. Most of the high school teachers I know did not want the change.

My kids didn't love going to school early--but they did and did fine--as do most of them. If you think thirty minutes is going to change your life, good for you. I think it is ridiculous that FCPS is spending money on this change and turning all schools and households upside down. Rush hour is going to shock people with the buses on the road. And, the afternoon rush hour will be worse.

This was a political issue driven by people who are convinced that all will be rainbows and unicorns if their kids can just go to school thirty minutes later. What a crock.

Not rainbows and unicorns, but better. There is certainly a vocal minority that is strongly opposed, but they are a minority.

Please define "better", because SLEEP and our vaunted researchers sure couldn't be bothered to figure that one out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

nope. they'll move to address middle school start times next,

How much will that cost? We can't even afford to the later high school times.

but in the meantime the fewest kids will be impacted by early start times.

You do know that middle school kids actually need more sleep than high school kids? Did the hypocrites at SLEEP forget that little fact?

many kids don't even hit puberty till after middle school so they don't have as difficult a time falling asleep at night as ALL high schoolers.

I'd love to see some evidence that ALL high schoolers have a difficult time getting to sleep.

secondly, the pressures on middle-schoolers aren't as great academically as they are on high school students. most are taking 2- perhaps 3 high school courses in those two years. for high schoolers EVERYTHING counts.

So EVERYTHING counts for high schoolers? Then perhaps they should take their studies seriously and get to bed on time.

All high schoolers obviously do not have a hard time going to sleep. The PP was exaggerating. I offer up my two teenagers as proof. They go to bed by 9:30 pm most. Nights and sleep to about 6am during the school year. Only times they have trouble falling asleep is if they are nervous about something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why have they never considered cutting the IB program as a whole and reverting those schools back to AP?

It would cut massive expenditures and eliminate a lot of student transfers.

It is an option on the list.

But it is not a "massive" cut in expenditures. Relatively speaking, it is listed as a "medium" cut, meaning it would save 2-5million.

The detailed costing data has not yet been provided. It is my understanding it will be included in the next round (for the August 4 meeting) and will be included in the online budget balancing tool, to be made available in about a month.

The budget tool looks pretty good.

http://budgettool.fcps.edu/

The budget tool would be infinitely more useful if it actually had real programs and real numbers to choose from.

Right now, it's just a play toy and poor one at that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

nope. they'll move to address middle school start times next,

How much will that cost? We can't even afford to the later high school times.

but in the meantime the fewest kids will be impacted by early start times.

You do know that middle school kids actually need more sleep than high school kids? Did the hypocrites at SLEEP forget that little fact?

many kids don't even hit puberty till after middle school so they don't have as difficult a time falling asleep at night as ALL high schoolers.

I'd love to see some evidence that ALL high schoolers have a difficult time getting to sleep.

secondly, the pressures on middle-schoolers aren't as great academically as they are on high school students. most are taking 2- perhaps 3 high school courses in those two years. for high schoolers EVERYTHING counts.

So EVERYTHING counts for high schoolers? Then perhaps they should take their studies seriously and get to bed on time.

All high schoolers obviously do not have a hard time going to sleep. The PP was exaggerating. I offer up my two teenagers as proof. They go to bed by 9:30 pm most. Nights and sleep to about 6am during the school year. Only times they have trouble falling asleep is if they are nervous about something.

The PP was lying, not exaggerating. The hypocrites at SLEEP constantly lied and we footed the $5 million for their lies.

[Anonymous]

The anti-SLEEP nuts make me yawn. This was a long overdue change. You lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The anti-SLEEP nuts make me yawn. This was a long overdue change. You lost.

If you're yawning, you should go to sleep. Simple advice like that would have saved us millions.