MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Opinion

Discussion

November 16, 2012

Reconsider time changes

— Area school districts should reconsider their policies to change the start or finish times because of hardships on parents and their children.

Several area school districts have made changes in order to allow teachers time to meet in Professional Learning Communities or to improve their instructional skills.

Educators need time to learn nuances of the state’s upcoming Common Core curriculum.

The PLCs help teachers share techniques specific to the subjects they teach.

Both are worthwhile endeavors.

However, parents are finding hardships because the change in start or finish times is not consistent throughout the week.

Some districts start 30 minutes late or finish early one day per week.

Many young children thrive on the discipline of a consistent schedule.

Upsetting that schedule upsets a child’s pattern for learning.

Parents have jobs that have inflexible start times. Changes in school start times force  some parents to miss pay or leave a child outside the school to wait until the doors open.

Some school districts provide space for students who must arrive early — at a cost.

Area districts must find time for teachers to gather for the purpose of getting better at the core mission — teaching children.

But, if it costs parents or upsets the learning environment for students, then the districts need to listen to parents and look for alternatives.

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