Due to the extreme excess of school hours for JAA middle school grades 6, 7, 8, totaling nearly 215 extra hours above state requirements (which equals to over six extra weeks of school), we ask that John Adams Academy reduce the number of minutes for middle school scholars by 30 minutes per day. We propose that middle school secondary scholars grade 6, 7, and 8 not be required to come to school until 8 AM with the rest of the school (excluding high school scholars). If they are carpooling with high schoolers, then they can either join for the 7:40 AM flag ceremony, or have a study hall time where they can work on schoolwork or read before/after class. The majority of families at John Adams do not have high schoolers, and the 7:40 AM start time is affecting so many families with young children. We also ask that grades 6-8 release at 2:50 PM with the rest of the school (excluding high school scholars). Minimum Fridays can start and end with the rest of the school (8am-12pm) instead of the extra 45 minutes they are currently made to stay every minimum day with the high school grades. By cutting down on 30 minutes total per day Monday-Thursday and 45 minutes every Friday for grades 6-8, this will reduce their total class minutes, which will help significantly with the imbalance of school hours in extreme excess over state requirements for these middle school grades.
The middle school heavy schedule is made even worse with the scheduling oversight of short 10:45am "lunch"/recess periods with no other snack or recess time. Our scholars are starving for the rest of the day, getting headaches, and complaining of fatigue. We ask that there can be an adjustment in their schedules to allow for a snack time and additional free time to create a healthier, more balanced atmosphere.
We understand that with a smaller school and joined elementary/middle/high school, JAA is limited with their scheduling, but we know JAA can do better and find a solution to this. The current staggered start/release times do not seem to help much at all with reducing the flow of traffic, so we would appreciate this scheduling change to help ease so many families and relieve these over-scheduled children. We appreciate your attention to this, and know that our children's best interest are in your minds.
16 Comments
I love JAA. We have been part of this school since the beginning. I’m spending well over 3 hours a day driving my children to and from school because I appreciate the curriculum and culture at this amazing school. I do however, find it very concerning that families with elementary and middle school children are for all practical purposes on a high school schedule. These kids in sixth grade are eleven years old. They do not need to be functioning as high schoolers. If the administration has other reasons that haven’t been articulated I would be interested to hear them. If it was just for convenience it seems to make more sense to align elementary and middle school and let the high school function as a high school.
They need more breaks 6-8th for sure. My boys will not do well without time to stretch and eat.
I agree with the petition! My son has had headaches and is exhausted for the rest of the day from the long hours and little break time!
Later start would make a big difference The middle schoolers definitely need more breaks throughout the day and the chance to move about. They need more than 10 mins in the halls. Such a long day.
Studies show that teens do better in school with an ideal start time of 9am. Please consider what is best for our kids & familes. Thank you!
Thank you for putting this petition together!!
I am so in favor of this time reduction! Let our kids have this time added back to their day please please!
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Due to the extreme excess of school hours for JAA middle school grades 6, 7, 8, totaling nearly 215 extra hours above state requirements (which equals to over six extra weeks of school), we ask that John Adams Academy reduce the number of minutes for middle school scholars by 30 minutes per day. We propose that middle school secondary scholars grade 6, 7, and 8 not be required to come to school until 8 AM with the rest of the school (excluding high school scholars). If they are carpooling with high schoolers, then they can either join for the 7:40 AM flag ceremony, or have a study hall time where they can work on schoolwork or read before/after class. The majority of families at John Adams do not have high schoolers, and the 7:40 AM start time is affecting so many families with young children. We also ask that grades 6-8 release at 2:50 PM with the rest of the school (excluding high school scholars). Minimum Fridays can start and end with the rest of the school (8am-12pm) instead of the extra 45 minutes they are currently made to stay every minimum day with the high school grades. By cutting down on 30 minutes total per day Monday-Thursday and 45 minutes every Friday for grades 6-8, this will reduce their total class minutes, which will help significantly with the imbalance of school hours in extreme excess over state requirements for these middle school grades.
The middle school heavy schedule is made even worse with the scheduling oversight of short 10:45am "lunch"/recess periods with no other snack or recess time. Our scholars are starving for the rest of the day, getting headaches, and complaining of fatigue. We ask that there can be an adjustment in their schedules to allow for a snack time and additional free time to create a healthier, more balanced atmosphere.
We understand that with a smaller school and joined elementary/middle/high school, JAA is limited with their scheduling, but we know JAA can do better and find a solution to this. The current staggered start/release times do not seem to help much at all with reducing the flow of traffic, so we would appreciate this scheduling change to help ease so many families and relieve these over-scheduled children. We appreciate your attention to this, and know that our children's best interest are in your minds.
16 Comments
I would like to have the board review to set a new start time for secondary scholars to start at 8:00am
I love JAA. We have been part of this school since the beginning. I’m spending well over 3 hours a day driving my children to and from school because I appreciate the curriculum and culture at this amazing school. I do however, find it very concerning that families with elementary and middle school children are for all practical purposes on a high school schedule. These kids in sixth grade are eleven years old. They do not need to be functioning as high schoolers. If the administration has other reasons that haven’t been articulated I would be interested to hear them. If it was just for convenience it seems to make more sense to align elementary and middle school and let the high school function as a high school.
They need more breaks 6-8th for sure. My boys will not do well without time to stretch and eat.
I agree with the petition! My son has had headaches and is exhausted for the rest of the day from the long hours and little break time!
Later start would make a big difference The middle schoolers definitely need more breaks throughout the day and the chance to move about. They need more than 10 mins in the halls. Such a long day.
Studies show that teens do better in school with an ideal start time of 9am. Please consider what is best for our kids & familes. Thank you!
Thank you for putting this petition together!!
I am so in favor of this time reduction! Let our kids have this time added back to their day please please!
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I would like to have the board review to set a new start time for secondary scholars to start at 8:00am