School Daze

/ Tracy Abell

I just got off the phone with Zebu’s middle school principal.
The rumors are true.
Next year school will start at 7:10 A.M.
You read that correctly.
7:10 of the freaking A.M.

Our county, the largest in Colorado, did not pass the mill levy last November.
Budget cuts are necessary.
Transportation is getting the axe.
The district is cutting 16 drivers and buses.
The buses used to serve one or two different schools.
They will now each serve three or four.

For most of the next school year Zebu will walk out of our house into the dark.
And wait for the bus.
In the dark.

His school day will end at 2:05 P.M.
The sun will be high in the sky by then.
Sigh.

What time does school start in your area?
             

16 thoughts on “School Daze”

  1. It amazes me how they do this — statistically, teens (and pre-teens) need more sleep than elementary school kids. So why don’t they make the elementary schools earlier? When I was in 7th grade (also in this district), I had to be at the bus stop between 6:15 an 6:20 (or something like that) every morning. It was dark all but the final weeks of school. I hated it!

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    • I mentioned that to the principal, about teens needing more sleep. He said the studies do support that but they had to weigh that info against the reality of 5-year-olds waiting in the dark for the bus.
      It’s just a mess all the way around.

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      • Yes, but I don’t know of any five-year olds who don’t have a parent with them…in fact, even the 6th graders at our bus stop have parents with them 😦 Too bad!

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    • I think the big reason they have the elementary schools going later is because otherwise working parents would have to look into more child care options. They feel more comfortable leaving high schoolers and even middle schoolers home alone in the middle of the afternoon.

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      • The principal mentioned this issue and said they would try to have even more after-school stuff going on at the middle school. I know it’s an even bigger issue for the younger kids.
        I’m waiting for the blowback on this one. I can’t believe parents are going to be happy about this.

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  2. I mentioned that to the principal, about teens needing more sleep. He said the studies do support that but they had to weigh that info against the reality of 5-year-olds waiting in the dark for the bus.

    It’s just a mess all the way around.

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  3. Well eight, which is early enough. There are all these studies showing that teens cannot think well in the early morning, but those sadly get lost to practical concerns. I know in our town, the middle and high school starts earlier than elementary school — and you know the little ones are active at dawn, while the others so want to stay in bed. I’m sorry!

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  4. Our middle schoolers and high school students have to be at school at 7:10.
    It sucks. Like unto a sucking thing. Kids fall asleep in the classroom. But overall, they adjust okay, if they go to bed early enough.

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    • “But overall, they adjust okay, if they go to bed early enough.”
      I’m already stressing about when basketball season starts. Since Zebu will be in 8th grade, his games will be the late ones which means he’ll get in bed even later. And get up earlier. Ugh.
      Major suckage…

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  5. Our middle schoolers and high school students have to be at school at 7:10.

    It sucks. Like unto a sucking thing. Kids fall asleep in the classroom. But overall, they adjust okay, if they go to bed early enough.

    Like

  7. The principal mentioned this issue and said they would try to have even more after-school stuff going on at the middle school. I know it’s an even bigger issue for the younger kids.

    I’m waiting for the blowback on this one. I can’t believe parents are going to be happy about this.

    Like

  8. “But overall, they adjust okay, if they go to bed early enough.”

    I’m already stressing about when basketball season starts. Since Zebu will be in 8th grade, his games will be the late ones which means he’ll get in bed even later. And get up earlier. Ugh.

    Major suckage…

    Like

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