School start/release times are set
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 7, 2015 1:50 AM
Opening and closing times will remain the same at schools around the county in the fall, with the exception of slight changes prompted by the addition of two middle schools.
The school board approved the proposed schedule, mostly relating to the opening of Grantham and Spring Creek middle schools.
The two new schools will impact the district's "tiered bus" schedule, where school areas like Eastern Wayne and Rosewood have historically operated on a staggered schedule to accommodate shared transportation.
Dr. David Lewis, assistant superintendent for accountability/information technology services/transportation, said the new times are consistent with how elementary/middle school combinations have been done in the past.
The middle schools in Grantham and Spring Creek will operate from 7:30 a.m. until 2:45 p.m. The only change at Grantham School is a 15-minute delay, moving start time from 8 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and dismissal from 3:15 to 3:30 p.m.
Spring Creek Elementary will continue to open at 8:30 a.m. and dismiss at 3:45 p.m., while the high school will still start at 7:45 a.m. and let out at 2:45 p.m.
That community has one of the district's longest bus routes, Lewis pointed out.
Board member Arnold Flowers reminded him that there have been issues with the Spring Creek schedules in the past, creating a "hardship" for parents with children at more than one school.
"It seems more logical that the high schools would be the earlier time," he said.
Lewis said that a request came from the Spring Creek High principal and staff to keep the earlier start time.
There is a potential problem with the high school starting at 7:45 and the elementary school kicking off at 8:30, Flowers said. The gap creates almost a "full hour of void time" for younger students dropped off by parents, he said.
"It just seems more logical to me that the high school and elementary (be closer)," he said. "For the sake of time, we'll move on but I question the way it's done.
"I know it's come to us as a recommendation from the principal but I question the way it's done."
A slight change was also made at Rosewood High School, at the request of the principal and staff, to accommodate an additional instructional block for students. The school will shift around the homeroom meeting time and incorporate a "power lunch enrichment activity" at the school.
"Southern Wayne and Eastern Wayne are already doing a program like this," Lewis said. "Starting at 8:15 gets them in line with things done at other high schools but doesn't sacrifice instructional time."