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Schools

New school start times incense some parents

The school district has received more than 250 e-mails from people opposed to starting high school later and elementary earlier. Board members are still pondering the issue.

By CARRIE JOHNSON and ALEX LEARY
Published November 19, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Despite strong public reaction, a majority of Pinellas School Board members said Friday they haven't changed their mind about proposed changes to school starting times.

School officials said most of the more than 250 e-mails sent to the district office are opposed to the changes, which would start high school classes later in the morning and elementary schools earlier.

More than 750 people have posted messages about the proposal on a St. Petersburg Times blog. Their postings are mixed in terms of support but are notable for their intensity.

"The thought of having my kindergartener up, dressed, fed, organized and at school safely, READY TO LEARN, before 7:30 is sounding like a bad dream," said one message typical of those opposed to the changes. "Can someone please wake me up?"

School Board member Linda Lerner said she has received about 10 phone calls from disgruntled students and parents. She hasn't made up her mind yet and wants to hear more from superintendent Clayton Wilcox.

"I still want to read the rest of the blog," said Lerner, who had read more than half of the responses by Friday evening. "But in the end, we have to step back. We're not going to have everyone agreeing. We have to look at what's best for the students."

Wilcox is scheduled to give the board a presentation on Dec. 6 on the effect the new start times would have on extracurricular activities. The board is expected to vote at its Dec. 13 meeting.

The plan, made public last week, was devised by a national consultant and outlines a number of different scenarios. But the one favored by most officials would move the first bell for high schools from 7:05 a.m. to 9:15 or 9:20 a.m., while elementary schools would start at 7:30 a.m.

The changes, if approved, would take effect next school year.

At a Nov. 15 workshop, five of the seven School Board members expressed support for the plan.

"No one has given me any compelling reason academically why this isn't a fit for kids," said board member Jane Gallucci.

Many of the negative e-mails from high school students and their parents expressed concerns about after-school activities, including work.

Pinellas schools spokesman Sterling Ivey said extracurricular activities are important, but they must be weighed against classroom time.

"We recognize there are students who need to work to help their families," Ivey said. "We also recognize there are students who work so they can drive a nice car or have nice clothes or shoes."

Ivey said there would be at least one immediate benefit to the changes: an end to predawn bus pickups for high schoolers. The earliest pickup this year is at 4:50 a.m.

Board member Mary Russell, who has expressed support for the change, said the volume of calls and e-mails isn't out of the ordinary for a controversial topic. She said they received a much larger response to a proposed mental health screening pilot program, which would identify students who showed suicidal tendencies.

Russell also noted that dissenters are more likely to speak up than those who agreed with the plan.

"I've received about four phone calls," Russell said. "My phone isn't ringing off the hook."

Board member Nancy Bostock, who is leaning against the changes, said she also has heard the arguments but is not yet swayed to change her mind.

"I'm waiting to be convinced (the proposal) is an actual improvement," she said. "But I'm not there yet. We'll still have way too many kids out there in the dark waiting for buses, only now it'll be our little kids."

[Last modified November 19, 2005, 01:07:13]