Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:46     Subject: New school start times survey
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.


Sure we can.

All FCPS needs to do is leave the current schedule alone.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:44     Subject: New school start times survey
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.


My gosh.

30 minutes later is too late for many elementary kids, especially the little ones.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:43     Subject: New school start times survey
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:33     Subject: Re:New school start times survey
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:30     Subject: New school start times survey
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.


What about the single parent?

A whole lot easier to find after school care than before school care. Lots more options.

However: what is best for the children?
Again --I taught elementary school. The kids really slow down in the afternoons. Why do you think we try to teach the most important academics in the morning?

That is the bottom line. When does the best learning occur? Clue: it is not after 3--and pretty much not after 1 p.m.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:27     Subject: New school start times survey
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 20:23     Subject: New school start times survey
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 12:58     Subject: New school start times survey
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?
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 12:46     Subject: New school start times survey
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 12:26     Subject: New school start times survey
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 11:34     Subject: New school start times survey
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:27     Subject: New school start times survey
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This SB is committed to healthy start times so it will be one of the 2 options. Take the survey with that in mind..."neither" is a wasted vote.


If they were committed to healthy start times, they would have provided a reasonable option.


They're not magicians and need to be constrained by what's possible with the bus fleet we have. Maybe some wealthy families from the area could donate to buy enough buses and all kids could start school at 8/8:30...otherwise be realistic, please. (And don't have kids getting on buses at 6:45 AM...seriously.)


For years and years, FCPS had high schoolers getting on the bus at 6:45. It worked. Scores were good, plenty of time for after school activities, etc.

But, they told us it was not healthy.

I would bet the kids were healthier then than they are now.


^this. FCPS alum. Decades later we were told those start times were too early for HSers and they adjusted the current schedules.

Frankly, the early time slot stinks in general. I think 8am - 3pm is the sweet spot for school start/end times (why do private schools go with that schedule???) but not every public school can start then. i believe the current schedule is best of all options. The middle schools are only impacted for two years. They will survive those two years just fine.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 08:17     Subject: New school start times survey
Anonymous wrote:Couldn't they just buy more busses instead of all these surveys? How many busses are needed to keep the start times from 7:45 to 9:15?


Sure but who is going to drive those buses? You? We had overcrowded buses because there aren’t enough drivers.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 05:24     Subject: New school start times survey
Anonymous wrote:Couldn't they just buy more busses instead of all these surveys? How many busses are needed to keep the start times from 7:45 to 9:15?



This data is on the wensite with the survey.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2025 22:29     Subject: New school start times survey
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.