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Let's give schools' new start times a chance

School superintendent Sandra "Sam" Himmel always tells people to let her know if they have anything to say, good or bad, about the school district that she oversees. So Himmel was hardly surprised this week when a number of teachers and parents complained about the new start times that she instituted this school year.

The bulk of the criticism came from those connected to the elementary schools, which now begin their school days at 9:05 a.m., the latest start time in the district, and end at 3 p.m. Middle schools are largely unchanged, running from 7:55 a.m. until 2:20 p.m. High school students start their days the earliest, with classes beginning at 7:40 a.m. and ending at 2:40 p.m.

Some of the complaints raised at a PTA forum this week deal with whether the new times are adversely affecting the youngest students by keeping them in the classroom too late in the day. They also involved day care inconveniences and other parental concerns.

For the most part, the criticisms are worth further review. To her credit, Himmel has said she and her staff will continue to monitor the situations at the district's schools this year, making adjustments as needed. At the end of the year, a more complete evaluation will be conducted and Himmel has not closed the door on more sweeping changes.

A few points must be kept in mind, however.

First, this is a significant change in people's lives, and we all know that not everyone adjusts well to change. That said, Himmel's directive was not a case of change for change's sake. There are valid reasons for shuffling the start times.

These include safety concerns. Having the youngest children in the district waiting for buses before the sun comes up is hardly an appealing situation, especially in the aftermath of the Jessica Lunsford tragedy, when children's safety concerns are uppermost on parents' minds.

This certainly does not mean that high school students, who now greet the sunrise at their bus stops, are any less important or deserving of safety concerns. But considering that 138 of the district's 158 bus routes are double routes, meaning the drivers have to transport one group of students then go fetch a different age group, someone has to be first. Given the choice between 7-year-olds and 17-year-olds, Himmel went with the older kids.

While safety clearly is the top priority, transportation costs cannot be overlooked. Himmel said the state last year gave Citrus $3.7-million to operate the bus system. The district spent $6.5-million on transportation. Until the skies open up and rain dollars on the district for more buses and drivers, Himmel has a responsibility to look at the bottom line. The more efficient bus schedules are expected to trim costs by about $150,000.

There are also adjustments that can be made at the school level. Some complaints have involved the student-pickup arrangements at certain schools and related matters that are best solved by the school administration and advisory councils.

Those who advocate changing the times to suit their own needs must also keep in mind that for every group so accommodated, another segment will be affected. Swap the elementary and middle school times, for example, and some parents will cheer while others will howl. There is no single solution that will please everyone.

Many parents and teachers have told Himmel, in fact, that they like the changes. Some of these people were upset at first, but they have since adjusted to the new times.

And that is the key point. Just as with any major change in life, it takes time to become comfortable with the new circumstances. Keep in mind that this brave new world of changed starting times is all of 10 weeks old.

Parents and teachers should continue to point out ways to make the new starting times work better for all concerned and Himmel must continue to take these concerns seriously. At the end of the year, all of the options will be evaluated, and some adjustments may be made. It may turn out, however, that the best course is no change at all.

[Last modified October 21, 2005, 02:15:38]