Citizens speak out against school start plan

Several Cape district parents say a recent school board decision for later elementary start times would interfere with work schedules, childcare and children's activities.

“It's a very long day for our kids,” said Mary Rogers, referring to afternoon bus rides that could bring some elementary students home at 5 p.m.

“This will affect after-school activities,” said parent Jerry Windish. “Kids getting home at 5 is too late.”

Tammy Farjon said she worries about days starting with a two-hour delay, and what that would mean to her work day. “I wouldn't get to work by 11 or so. Half the day would be done,” she said.

Amanda Longo, a mother of four, said she hopes the district creates morning care for students who need it.

Parents attended the Oct. 27 school board meeting two weeks after the board voted to start secondary schools before elementaries – a discussion that had gone on for years with the board twice reversing its decision.

“It's a done deal,” said board member Jen Burton in an interview before the meeting about secondary schools starting before elementaries. She said she has received dozens of emails from parents against the latest change.

“I'm very disappointed. I don't think elementaries should start that late and high school start that early,” Burton said.

Superintendent Robert Fulton said prior to the meeting that over the next few months the board will discuss options for before and after-school care. Exact start times for each school will be worked out as the 2017-18 bus schedule is created. “Once that is done we will have a better idea about actual pickup times for students, including the earliest time students will be picked up,” he said.

Using a combination of route times from the consultant's report and proposed start times under the new plan, the longest high school route would be 65 minutes, which would make the earliest bus pickup 6:15 a.m. for a 7:20 a.m. drop off under the new plan. High school has the longest bus routes because buses have to pickup students from all points in the district and bring them to Lewes.

Two middle schools offer closer proximity for routes. The earliest Beacon students would be picked up for a 7:30 a.m. drop off would be 6:40 a.m. and it would be about the same for Mariner. Transportation Supervisor Lenny Richardson said students who live in outlying areas, such as those close to the Indian River School District boundary, have the longest routes.

Secondary schools currently start at 7:55 a.m.

Social media outcry

A nearly $10,000 transportation consultant's report did little to change the minds of school board members who voted against starting high school at a later time.

“This is the way we should go. We can make changes if it doesn't work,” said board member Roni Posner before voting for a plan to start secondary schools before elementaries. Posner, board President Andy Lewis and board Vice President Alison Myers continued their support to start secondary schools before elementaries as they had done over the past year. New board members Jessica Tyndall and Janis Hanwell also voted to start secondary schools first. Burton and board member Jason Bradley voted no.

After the vote, Tyndall fielded dozens of comments on social media opposed to later start times, particularly for Milton schools.

“Wow! Unbelievable! I'm sick of Cape district,” wrote one commentor.

Prompted by a series of similar posts, Tyndall posted a statement explaining why she voted to start secondary schools first. She did not return calls requesting comment.

“Basically, a decision could have been made years ago but has been too controversial, and now we are forced to choose,” she wrote. “Making a decision now provides an opportunity for everyone in the community to plan accordingly.”

She said she chose the plan to start secondary schools first because she doesn't think Milton should continue to start earlier than other Cape schools as is the case now. She also said she wants students on the bus for the least amount of time possible.

Tyndall said the district will need to work out details for before- and after-school care.

“We are seeking to work with all of the after-school programs to potentially provide before school options to families needing support,” she said.

Start times prove controversial

After years of discussion about start times and double-bus runs, Cape Henlopen school board members voted in July 2015 to start secondary schools before elementary schools. Since 2003, state offcials have recommended school districts increase efficiency by using buses for more than one bus route. A 2014 Cape transportation plan had outlined a three-year process to use buses for secondary and middle school routes including buses that would be needed for a new elementary school. Without a plan for double routes for district buses, district officials said, the Department of Education would not pay for new buses for the new elementary schools. In previous years, board members were reluctant to change start times at Milton schools because residents had already adjusted their schedules years ago when school times were moved earlier to accommodate bus runs.

Only board members Burton and Bradley voted against starting secondary schools first in the July 2015 vote. But by October 2015, fueled by Center for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics studies touting the benefits of late school starts for teens and a contingent of resident support, board members Spencer Brittingham and Jackie Brisco switched their votes and voted to start elementaries first. The 4-3 vote held until March 2016 when the board decided to continue existing start times for the fall 2016 school year.

But the board had to rescind the October 2015 vote first.

Bradley motioned and voted to rescind the vote, joined by Brittingham, Brisco, Myers and Posner. Burton and Lewis voted no.

In addition to rescinding the vote, Bradley proposed a plan to start H.O. Brittingham Elementary, Milton Elementary, Mariner Middle and Beacon Middle schools at 7:25 a.m.; Rehoboth, Shields, the new Love Creek Elementary and Cape Henlopen High School would start at a time to be determined, giving district officials leeway to create a system that uses buses for more than one route, he said.

A consultant was later paid about $10,000 to examine those bus routes and create a plan based on the start times.

That plan, however, was not approved.

On Oct. 13, a second plan was introduced to start secondary schools first and elementary schools second. The plan passed after little discussion and is scheduled for implementation in the 2017-18 school year.