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Oh, I know it's not new to start high schools early. I think the later (9ish) start times are newer. I think they are better, though.
I don't understand why we want them to start early. I understand the reasons lamishra mentioned, but those strike me as reasons that folks got used to. The after school sports one is easily discounted. The schools that have late start times have no problems scheduling practices and games. The babysitting and jobs ones don't really have anything to do with school which is the important thing. I think that all sounds like people who are used to things being one way and they don't want to have to change.
Isn't school supposed to be about learning foremost and preparing kids for adult responsibilities? Studies have shown that teens peak times for learning are later in the day. Most adult jobs don't require you to be in the office at 7:30. Seems to me that the reasonable thing to do is to have school start at least after 8:30 or so. But, I'm not a Wake County person so I'm not going to go to battle over this. I'll just be grateful for what we have.
Oh, I know it's not new to start high schools early. I think the later (9ish) start times are newer. I think they are better, though.
I don't understand why we want them to start early. I understand the reasons lamishra mentioned, but those strike me as reasons that folks got used to. The after school sports one is easily discounted. The schools that have late start times have no problems scheduling practices and games. The babysitting and jobs ones don't really have anything to do with school which is the important thing. I think that all sounds like people who are used to things being one way and they don't want to have to change.
Isn't school supposed to be about learning foremost and preparing kids for adult responsibilities? Studies have shown that teens peak times for learning are later in the day. Most adult jobs don't require you to be in the office at 7:30. Seems to me that the reasonable thing to do is to have school start at least after 8:30 or so. But, I'm not a Wake County person so I'm not going to go to battle over this. I'll just be grateful for what we have.
Who is battling?
I think we all generally agree that later start times for pubescent kids are preferable.
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Oh, I don't know. I think somebody on this thread said that they preferred earlier start times and early dismissal times and lamishra pointed out that some vocal folks prevented Wake Co from changing or seriously considering changing to later start times a few years ago.
My point was it's not my battle to fight. If folks in Wake Co feel like it's a worthy cause to take on they can fight the battle with the school board. I'm just over here on the sidelines in Chapel Hill.
Oh, I don't know. I think somebody on this thread said that they preferred earlier start times and early dismissal times and lamishra pointed out that some vocal folks prevented Wake Co from changing or seriously considering changing to later start times a few years ago.
My point was it's not my battle to fight. If folks in Wake Co feel like it's a worthy cause to take on they can fight the battle with the school board. I'm just over here on the sidelines in Chapel Hill.
Truthfully, I think the biggest battle would be if elementary school kids started earlier.
For some, it would mean a significant increase in the cost of after-school child care.
I think they all should start later. My kids are night owls like me, though.
I think people here were talking about the reasons why school times are what they are. Not so much arguing over them.
Wake is a huge district. Chapel Hill would have these same issues if it was larger, but I think you know that already.
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And then it would be the elementary school kids at bus stops in the dark.
I agree 100% that adolescent bodies are not suited to 7:25 start times. I just don't know how to remedy the situation when all three levels (elementary, middle, high) share buses.
There have been several studies that show later start times are beneficial for teens in particular because of the hormonal changes their bodies are going thru in adolescence.
I'm glad CHCCS has been thoughtful about this. I don't think early start times are good for kids in any number of ways and especially teens.
I think all school kids should sleep till 7 am! Esp. the high school kids who study/work late night and we can't expect them to be up by 5.30 -6 to catch the school bus even before sunrise! Kids are not priority here, but work, bus scheduling economics seems to override children benefits of sleep!
Oh, I don't know. I think somebody on this thread said that they preferred earlier start times and early dismissal times and lamishra pointed out that some vocal folks prevented Wake Co from changing or seriously considering changing to later start times a few years ago.
My point was it's not my battle to fight. If folks in Wake Co feel like it's a worthy cause to take on they can fight the battle with the school board. I'm just over here on the sidelines in Chapel Hill.
I do prefer the earlier start times - as do my kids. However, I am aware that research supports the later support times for older kids (for many reasons including safety), but since Wake made a decision to move even more High Schools to an earlier time last year, instead of the other way, it's probably not a winnable battle. And the fact is, despite all the supposed issues, many high schools on Long Island (where I'm from) continually rank as tops in the country....and Green Hope ranks well too...so like anything else it's about picking battles. In the end, we all know that the magical fairies in Chapel Hill have made everything perfect so no worries there.
Just because I like something doesn't mean I disagree with the research.
But usually at an elementary bus stop there's a parent there — at least the ones that I've seen. Plus, a 7:50 start time is very different than at 7:25 start time.
Other large districts in the country do have the high schools start later and the elementary schools start earlier. Parents in Maryland petitioned their board and schools in Denver and Minneapolis start later. If it is something that Wake County is interested in I don't think the size of the district is an unsurmountable stumbling block.
BTW, in Cumberland County (Fayetteville) apparently schools start all sorts of different times. Some middle schools start at 7:20, some start at 8:30. I don't know how that all works!
There has to be a way to separate the signal that stops traffic from the signal that
alerts the kids to cross & board.
Maybe I don't understand the process, and please help me understand, but if the bus is approaching
a stop and signals with its lights and cross bar for traffic to stop isn't that the same signal that the kids watch for to know when to cross & board??
It may not be a factor in this case if she crossed before the bus signaled but there has got to be a better way.
Does anyone know if she was crossing at the bus stop and the bus wasn't there yet ??
I think that regardless, you need to look both ways before crossing the street. Lights won't save you, but being aware does.
Knowing what I do of teenagers and what I've read on this matter, I'd surmise that the bus was arriving but not there yet, the two kids were running so they didn't miss it, and they didn't check for traffic before running into the road. It's sad that it happened and that the driver didn't see the girl before, but it could have been avoided. It looks like the car was a Pontiac Grand Prix - they have terrible headlight light output, so I can believe the driver may never have seen the kids.
I have seen way too many posts that say that it was an error by the child to have crossed the road without checking the traffic!!! I feel this view is very narrow view! What are the other factors that could have avoided this ???
Would the girl been more attentive if it was NOT DARK ??
Would the driver been more attentive and prevented this accident if it was NOT DARK ?? Usually drivers can anticipate and take precaution, but in dark it is not possible! How many time we have stopped our cars for a deer/duck to cross the road in day time and have hit them in night ?
We should analyse all the factors that led to this tragic incident. We have so many preventive measures in cars, at home and everywhere to avoid a human error (to err is human)! So, the point I am trying to make is, if it was an human error, how we could avoid it, if possible! ( and one thought is let's not make kids walk on busy roads during dark hours)
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