The decision to change the start time for Williamson County Schools is on hold and won’t be up for immediate action at Monday’s upcoming Williamson County School Board work session.
A survey went out to families in the district. Nearly 17,000 responded, and most said they were satisfied with the way start times are now, with high schools beginning at 7:25 a.m. and elementary starting at 8:30 a.m.
“This is where I am,” Superintendent Mike Looney said. “I think we are solving a problem that could be addressed in other ways. There are some competing factors, and I don’t recommend we make a change. You can direct me to make a change through the board, but in absence of a directive, I am not doing that.
“We don’t have a policy of when school starts. It hasn’t been a board policy, but it could be. I appreciate the conversation, and I learned a lot. While I am not making a recommendation of change, some important things have come to the forefront.”
Board members said they weren’t comfortable having the issue drop completely off the radar, especially after having community meetings, a full-fledged study and expectations for school growth.
The conversation for school start time changes began in January. Studies showed students don’t get enough sleep, and Williamson County Schools is trying to figure out a way to combat that issue.
Here were the options before the board: the district could keep the times the same, schools could push back the times half an hour, or high school and elementary schools could switch start times.
It’s impossible to have all schools start near or around 8:30 a.m. because of the double bus routes and transportation issues.
Any change to the start times would not financially impact the district.
“There seems to be a sense that some of us have already made up our mind on this topic, and I’m sure I’m lumped into that group,” Board Vice President Anne McGraw said.
“I haven’t been shy with my opinion that later start times are the right thing for our kids. Frankly, I think arguing the opposite is like denying vaccines should be required to attend school. It’s proven medical science that teens physically need to sleep later in the morning, and I don’t question our country’s largest medical bodies nor my own pediatrician when a research-based recommendation is made for our children. I think it’s risky and borderline arrogant to pick and choose when we listen to the medical community and when we don’t based on how easy it is to fall in line.”
The majority of the board felt this way, wanting to make sure they looked at the whole health of students with sleep included. Others said they felt like the district missed out on an opportunity to gather feedback from so many parents.
“I was dissatisfied with the survey and felt it was a missed opportunity,” District 10 board member Dr. Beth Burgos said. “I don’t think it did it justice. I sat at my screen and read for hours what the teachers, students and business community said. Everyone, of course, has their own reasoning. But there were a number that felt how I did that said ‘Gosh, this survey could have done a lot more.’ I think there are a lot of different options we could look at.”
While no changes on start times will come before the board at Monday’s meeting, Williamson County Schools will keep researching the issue. Overall, changing school start times could go on the district’s strategic plan, which won’t be revised until 2017.
Emily West covers Franklin, education, and high school football for the Franklin Home Page. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter via @emwest22.
I certainly hope this does get further consideration. Our kids’ health takes priority over the conveniences (or inconveniences) school start times. My middle schooler can’t fall asleep at 8:30 P.M. and is tired everyday since he get up at 5:15 to catch the bus at 6:10 A.M.
Our little ones shouldn’t suffer this, either. There are other options. Other districts make it work.