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Thank you to all who have expressed their support for the decision to flip start times for middle school and high school. I recognize that there are many who are discouraged by my decision to support the superintendent in this recommendation, but I feel without a doubt that we can all work through this together and that we will be stronger for it.
This was not an easy decision by any means. I did not take it lightly and I did my homework. I read and answered all emails, considered all input from emails and conversations, met with the superintendent's staff, weighed all information, considered various scenarios, and requested that community partners be notified of a potential change, that principals be surveyed on positives and negatives, and that shared concerns be addressed. Finally, at the school board meeting held on Tuesday, May 13th, I considered the superintendent's proposal and listened to those who spoke both for and against it. I voted to support the superintendent's proposal. It was approved by a majority of school board members.
This proposal came out of the budgeting process in which all departments were required to make budget cuts or determine efficiencies. This is an efficiency because it saves tax dollars every year. Savings in non-classroom areas mean more dollars stay in the classroom- where all teaching and learning take place. Our first priority must always be education. Earning a high school diploma is critical to future success. The classroom therefore must drive all decision-making.
Faced with a projected $70 million revenue shortfall, the Superintendent directed every department to cut their budgets by 7%. Schools were directed to cut their budgets by 6%. Among large urban school districts in the state of Florida, we are the most efficient (FY 2006-07 Educational Funding Accountability Act Summary). Therefore, along with the many mandates and regulations, there is not much wiggle room in our budgets to make significant cuts like these. Over 600 of our newest teachers were not re-appointed. So while some think that we are cutting into "fat", we are actually cutting into "bone." This is the beginning of tough budgetary times, and I felt that the risk of what might be cut instead was too high. There was a suggestion that we tap into contingency reserves to cover what would be a recurring expense. This is not an acceptable business practice and I believe would be imprudent.
Although the overall class day length will not change, many high schools will have seven periods this year, and some will have a zero period (before the official start of school) so that students can accumulate credits and have more time for electives. While some school districts are cutting middle school and/or junior varsity sports, although some sports will have to make more adjustments than others, we will be able to maintain the integrity of athletics in Orange County. The arts are also being reviewed so that the integrity of chorus, band, orchestra and drama is also maintained. Clubs and other activities will be able to shift to morning hours as an option.
We currently have after-school programs in all of our middle schools through partnerships with Orange County and our municipalities. They, along with the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs, are aware of the shift and are working to adjust their schedules. This shift will probably mean that more children will be taking advantage of these opportunities. These programs include activities such as chess and domino clubs, science and math clubs, sports, arts, tutoring and homework help. Middle school sports and clubs that meet now in the mornings will be able to meet in the afternoons instead.
Change is difficult, but we have all seen in our lives that opportunities inevitably arise from it. I ask everyone to try to be positive and look for those opportunities. It is a good example to set for our children. They will see many changes throughout their lives and will need to re-invent themselves over the course of their lifetimes to adapt to our ever-changing economy and world. Let's support and empower them to use their natural ingenuity and team approach to offer their own creative and effective solutions to those already being developed in our schools.
On the home page of the OCPS website- www.ocps.net -find information about this approved change and this year's budget.
"The School Start Time Study effectively reveals that high school students can benefit from later school start times. While the concept that teenagers have a distinctly different sleep pattern was first recognized by medical research findings, it is only through examination of actual cases where these findings were used as a basis to change school policies that educators can understand the ramifications of making such a change. The case studies done by Wahlstrom and her colleagues (at the University of Minnesota) provide research-based information for school districts across the United States who are now seeking to make informed decisions for their own communities."
See http://cehd.umn.edu/pubs/ResearchWorks/sleep.html
