School starts way too early
- Thread starter smilin
- Start date
MMDad
Lem Putt
I never said I think school start times should be changed. I got up early to go to school....and I used to work at 4 am to feed cows....I was out of school, but still young.
But I love the argument "this is the way we've always done it." There is new research coming out every day. I was simply posting it for others who think "there is no reason kids can't get out of bed early."
I value research, but sometimes it is focused on providing excuses for poor performance instead of finding scientific fact. Research does not justify throwing out everything we have learned from history, just because a study appears to support the newest fad.
nachomama
All Up In Your Grill
I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that when they adjusted the start times, especially for the high schools, it had something to do with the base traffic - something about trying to alleviate the congestion with employees trying to get on the base at 7:00 am with school buses in the way, not to mention the students that drive themselves to school. They have to keep the high schools on the same time schedule because of after school activities and game schedules.
This happened about 8 years ago, so like I said, I could be wrong. :shrug:
This happened about 8 years ago, so like I said, I could be wrong. :shrug:
W
White Buddah
Guest
Most of the research done these days is completely useless. If it isn't broke don't fix it. "This is they way we've always done it" is great. How long have you been doing it?? Many generations. So, why does it have to change? B/c there are studies and research that state it is better? Big deal. How's the study and research coming along on a cure for cancer??I never said I think school start times should be changed. I got up early to go to school....and I used to work at 4 am to feed cows....I was out of school, but still young.
There are bigger fish to fry than to worry about kids going to school too "early". The time hasn't been a big problem for many years. Wouldn't younger kids going to school later mean they would have more energy later in the evening. That's exactly what parents want.
My son goes to Esperanza Middle School and must be there by 7:10 am. Seems that is about the time most of the folks are trying to get to the base. So the buses would be right out there at the base traffic time. ???? We drop off my son in the morning with about 200 other drop offs ( it seems like that many ) It's a line of cars every morning to get into the school. Traffic is always heavy at that time.
smilin
BOXER NATION
Actually it was closer to five years ago. I remember there was a tremendous mess trying to get the buses to run on schedule. I haven't heard anything one way or the other about it improving High School.
As far as studies go, thanks for the information. The fact that we live near the biggest outfit around that does study after study trying to put things into practice seems to have escaped notice.
Your kid starts middle school at 7:10am???
I thought middle and high school started at 8 and elementary started at 9?
Anyway, it's not so much that school starts early, it's that the bus needs time to fight its way through rush hour traffic. When we lived down here before, my kids caught the bus at 6:30 to make it to school by 8. When we moved to Middletown, they still had to be to school by 8, but they caught the bus at 7:30 because the school was right up the road and there wasn't any major traffic on the route.
kwillia
n/a
St. Mary's has three bus schedules. Middle school starts/finishes first, then high, then elementary. I believe they are about 45 minutes apart.
sockgirl77
Well-Known Member
kalmd
Active Member
My son's in Margaret Brent Middle and it starts at 8:00. I thought high school was the same? I know the Chopticon High bus comes around 5 minutes before the MB bus comes, which makes sense because Chopticon is probably about 5 minutes farther away from us than MB.
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kalmd
Active Member
Here's a link from the SMCPS website that lists school start/end times. They're not all the same.
http://www.smcps.k12.md.us/offices/boe/SchoolStartTimes2007_08.pdf
http://www.smcps.k12.md.us/offices/boe/SchoolStartTimes2007_08.pdf
cvizzy
New Member
I agree to many times kids are falling asleep because they don't have night time routines or a set schedule. My daughter has always gotten up between 6am and 6:20 and she is 10 yrs old. She is used to it and does well and really the only time she has issues is if she stays up late or she is sick. Next year she will be in middle school where the bus comes earlier but for her she will not have to change her schedule except that she will not have as much free time in the morning. But I know other children who have not had to get up on a routine basis growing up and struggle even if they have a good nighttime routine. Even on the weekends for her sleeping in is 8am at the latest.
Another important fact is that if she is extremely tired at night we encourage her to go to bed early after she has gotten her homework and other responsiblities taken care of and she is normally fine the next day and has her energy level back up. As well what the kids eat and when they eat has a lot to do with tiredness as well and more so I think then having to get up early. Just my opinion.