The talk of changing the high school and elementary Chesterfield County Public Schools starting times has been in the works for over two years. The discussion has been over if the high schools should switch their starting times with the elementary schools. If this were to happen, high schools would start at 9:30 and end at 4:00, while elementary schools would start at 7:45 and end at 2:15.
Chesterfield County's reason for changing school starting times is due to the recent (well, somewhat recent) studies from the National Sleep Foundation showing that high school students should not be starting school before 8:00 in the morning, due to the teenagers need for greater amounts of sleep than elementary school student. Students understand the need for more sleep, but sacrificing their afternoon is just not something worth the extra snoozing hours.
If the high schools were to to change starting times to that of the elementary schools, there will be very few hours left in the day for students to participate in after school activities such as clubs, sports, and activities outside of school like volunteering, part time jobs, or simply even doing homework. One thing Chesterfield County Public Schools are not considering in their appeal to changing school times is that high school students are given a far greater amount of work than those of elementary school students. A far greater amount of schoolwork means that students will need a far greater amount of time to complete their schoolwork.
Studies have shown that participation after school programs have a positive impact on academic achievement. After school activities are shown to ¨...improve students' self-esteem and self-confidence...¨ through ¨....improving social and personal skills...¨ (SEDL, 2008). After school programs have also found to decrease risky behavior amongst students and improve health and wellness of students through promoting activity. After school activities also benefit as impactful stress relievers, since the activities get students out of the school/work mentality that causes high amounts of stress. After school activities are necessary for mental and physical wellness of students.
The idea of changing Chesterfield County Public Schools starting times has good intentions behind it, but is realistically not beneficial to the lives of high school students.
Updates
May 5, 2016
The school board is still weighing these schedule changes despite our clear opposition to the impact on our afternoons. Put this link on your Facebook page and text three friends who are involved in sports or work. We need to keep pressure on the district office until they drop this plan entirely.
May 5, 2016
The momentum behind this petition is undeniable and shows the district exactly how many of us reject these proposed schedule changes. Post this link on your Facebook timeline right now and text it to three friends who also need to know what is at stake.
32 Comments
No time for SPORTS, HOMEWORK, PART TIME JOBS, CHORES, DINNER, SHOWER, AND ACTUALLY BEING A HUMAN BEING!!!
Let's not forget that many families with both old and young children rely on their older kids to be at home before the younger ones. It's illegal for an elementary schooler to be home alone, but with these time changes many families will be forced to let their kids stay home alone for long periods of time.
What I heard from people and teachers is that they would hold what are supposed to be after school activities in the morning. So it makes no difference to change the school times because the students would get the same amount of sleep as they do now.
This change would interfere with the play practices that I do at a different school that start at 4:00. If this change were to happen, I would arrive 30 minutes late to every practice. It also interferes with the Youth Orchestra Program practices every Tuesday that start at 4:30. I need to pick up my sister from her school first, and as a result we would not arrive on time. Both programs are outside Chesterfield County and thus would probably not change times just because I would need them to.
I participated in my school play this year. Practices often ran until 5-6 o'clock. If this change went into effect, these practices would likely go on until 7-8, and the really late practices would continue until around 10ish.
pls dont
Home Alone is a great movie however, it is not technically illegal to leave your elementary schooler home alone. Get your facts straight @Nathaniel Soss
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The talk of changing the high school and elementary Chesterfield County Public Schools starting times has been in the works for over two years. The discussion has been over if the high schools should switch their starting times with the elementary schools. If this were to happen, high schools would start at 9:30 and end at 4:00, while elementary schools would start at 7:45 and end at 2:15.
Chesterfield County's reason for changing school starting times is due to the recent (well, somewhat recent) studies from the National Sleep Foundation showing that high school students should not be starting school before 8:00 in the morning, due to the teenagers need for greater amounts of sleep than elementary school student. Students understand the need for more sleep, but sacrificing their afternoon is just not something worth the extra snoozing hours.
If the high schools were to to change starting times to that of the elementary schools, there will be very few hours left in the day for students to participate in after school activities such as clubs, sports, and activities outside of school like volunteering, part time jobs, or simply even doing homework. One thing Chesterfield County Public Schools are not considering in their appeal to changing school times is that high school students are given a far greater amount of work than those of elementary school students. A far greater amount of schoolwork means that students will need a far greater amount of time to complete their schoolwork.
Studies have shown that participation after school programs have a positive impact on academic achievement. After school activities are shown to ¨...improve students' self-esteem and self-confidence...¨ through ¨....improving social and personal skills...¨ (SEDL, 2008). After school programs have also found to decrease risky behavior amongst students and improve health and wellness of students through promoting activity. After school activities also benefit as impactful stress relievers, since the activities get students out of the school/work mentality that causes high amounts of stress. After school activities are necessary for mental and physical wellness of students.
The idea of changing Chesterfield County Public Schools starting times has good intentions behind it, but is realistically not beneficial to the lives of high school students.
Updates
May 5, 2016
The school board is still weighing these schedule changes despite our clear opposition to the impact on our afternoons. Put this link on your Facebook page and text three friends who are involved in sports or work. We need to keep pressure on the district office until they drop this plan entirely.
May 5, 2016
The momentum behind this petition is undeniable and shows the district exactly how many of us reject these proposed schedule changes. Post this link on your Facebook timeline right now and text it to three friends who also need to know what is at stake.
32 Comments
Many days after school I have to go home and watch my elementary school sister who gets home an hour after me. If she were to get home before me, my parents would have to take a lot of time off work to watch her, when they could be making money. She is not old enough to watch herself and would be in fear if she was at home alone for two hours. As well as this, students will not get any more o less sleep since they will go to sleep later from working on homework, and wake up earlier to finish their homework. This is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. Even a fetus could know that this idea would only bring negative effects to the high school students of Chesterfield County.
No time for SPORTS, HOMEWORK, PART TIME JOBS, CHORES, DINNER, SHOWER, AND ACTUALLY BEING A HUMAN BEING!!!
Let's not forget that many families with both old and young children rely on their older kids to be at home before the younger ones. It's illegal for an elementary schooler to be home alone, but with these time changes many families will be forced to let their kids stay home alone for long periods of time.
What I heard from people and teachers is that they would hold what are supposed to be after school activities in the morning. So it makes no difference to change the school times because the students would get the same amount of sleep as they do now.
This change would interfere with the play practices that I do at a different school that start at 4:00. If this change were to happen, I would arrive 30 minutes late to every practice. It also interferes with the Youth Orchestra Program practices every Tuesday that start at 4:30. I need to pick up my sister from her school first, and as a result we would not arrive on time. Both programs are outside Chesterfield County and thus would probably not change times just because I would need them to.
I participated in my school play this year. Practices often ran until 5-6 o'clock. If this change went into effect, these practices would likely go on until 7-8, and the really late practices would continue until around 10ish.
pls dont
Home Alone is a great movie however, it is not technically illegal to leave your elementary schooler home alone. Get your facts straight @Nathaniel Soss
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Many days after school I have to go home and watch my elementary school sister who gets home an hour after me. If she were to get home before me, my parents would have to take a lot of time off work to watch her, when they could be making money. She is not old enough to watch herself and would be in fear if she was at home alone for two hours. As well as this, students will not get any more o less sleep since they will go to sleep later from working on homework, and wake up earlier to finish their homework. This is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. Even a fetus could know that this idea would only bring negative effects to the high school students of Chesterfield County.