Schools

Greenfield High School Classes Will Start Later in 2013-14

The Greenfield School Board voted, 4-3, in favor of moving the start time to 7:30 a.m., a 20-minute difference. Three other schools will have new start times as well.

After years of debate, Greenfield High School will have a later start time for the 2013-14 school year.

Seven years after changing the start time to 7:10 a.m., one of the earliest start times in the state, the Greenfield School Board voted in favor of changing the start time to 7:30 a.m. starting next school year.

The change has a potential price tag of approximately $216,000 in additional busing costs, a price some board members were willing to pay.

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“I’d like somebody to tell me what’s good about starting at 7:10,” said board member Cathy Walsh, who was one of four members to vote in favor of the move. “This has been going on for years. It’s a drain on administration. It’s a drain on the board. … When are we as a board actually going to say we have a problem here. Until we acknowledge there’s a problem, we’re never going to have a solution.”

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The vote was split with Walsh, president Bruce Bailey, Rick Moze and Pam Sierzchulski voting for the measure with the caveat that the price tag would be the maximum they’d be willing to pay in additional busing costs.

Those four also directed the administrative team to get creative and come up with scheduling alternatives that could potentially drive down the cost but still meet the needs of all students.

Over the last several years, first-hour tardies at the high school have soared to an all-time high, and some in the community have said scientific research says high school-aged students aren’t ready to learn as early in the morning as the current start time expects.

Russ Spahn, Len Cich and Don Carslon voted against the move.

Other schools will change, too

In addition to moving the high school to 7:30 a.m. with a 2:41 p.m. end time, the middle school will start 12 minutes earlier, also at 7:30 a.m., and end at the same time as the high school.

Two elementary schools, Maple Grove and Elm Dale, would start 30 minutes earlier, or at 8:45 a.m., putting them in line with the district’s other two elementary schools. All four will end 3:26 p.m.

A representative from the district’s bus company, First Student, said the extra costs would be a result of extra buses needed, cost of the driver and other overhead. He said running one less additional bus would cut the total increased cost of bussing down to approximately $182,000. That is an option that will be explored, district officials said.

Carlson said the money could be better spent on other needs like more teachers, social workers and counselors. He said most students prefer the start times and that the district should listen to what they say.

“I hate to see money spent on transportation,” he said.

Spahn said he wasn’t convinced any of the proposals brought forth by administration were worth the high cost.

But the motion approved Monday gives administration, especially high school principal Paul Thusius, the flexibility to take a year to work on other options, Bailey said.

“Moving the start time to 7:30, that’s a start in the right direction,” he said. “At some point in time, if we want to be innovative, we can look at other options. … Two-thirds of the students don’t want to change (the time), but the facts are overwhelming that 7:10 is not working.”

Interim business director Ronald Nortier said approximately 1,200 high school and middle school students are registered to ride the bus.


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