Studies show that elementary aged children are more successful both emotionally and academically when beginning school earlier in the morning. The BOED has recommended that BMES, FES & VPES begin school at 9:20, 9:45 or 10:15am as part of its strategic plan recommendations. This is anathema to what is in the best interests of our children. Please join me in letting them know that this option is unacceptable by signing the attached petition, which will be forwarded to both the boe and administration.

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The start times for schools directly impacts the academic success and well-being of all of our children in Ridgefield, a fact that has been well documented by researchers and medical professionals and overlooked by our board of education.

In an effort to reduce bussing costs in 2009 the Board of Education moved Barlow, Farmingville and Veterans Park Elementary schools to a 9:10am start time for what was supposed to be a 3 year span, after which BMES, FES and VPES elementary schools were to rotate with the other elementary schools and move to an earlier start time rotating every 3 years.  It’s now 8 years later and the board has failed to implement this plan leaving BMES, FES and VPES elementary schools to shoulder this burden alone. 

I was shocked to see that the Board’s new recommendations were to at best, continue to ignore the original plan to rotate early start times with the other elementary schools, and unfairly continue to keep BMES, FES and VPES elementary schools at the 9:10am late start or worse move BMES, FES and VPES elementary schools to a 9:20 or even 10:15am start time!  As it is our elementary school aged children are getting home at 4:20pm! This decision only supports the Board’s need to balance their budget and provides zero benefit to our children and in fact, is detrimental to their academic success and well-being. 

It’s unimaginable that the board is even proposing to make an unworkable system even worse. They are not taking into account what is best for our children.

If the Board moves ahead with this plan our K-5th graders would be getting home around 4:20, 5 or even 5:20pm in the evening, with no time for exercise, play, homework, extra-curricular activities or family time. This is definitely a recipe for disastrous sleep cycle implications and will undoubtedly negatively affect our youngest student’s emotional wellbeing.

Furthermore it’s worth noting the financial burden this plan would have on single parent families or in families where both parents are working, most employers will be less than understanding when these parents can’t get to their jobs till well after 10:30am. There would also be an economic impact on our local businesses that tutor, teach or provide childcare and extracurricular activities when our children are getting out of school too late in the day to do much more than eat and go to bed.

 This is unacceptable.  Studies show that elementary and middle school aged children optimally should be attending school between the hours of 8/8:30am to 3/3:30pm.  We should do everything in our power to make this possible. The health and academic success of our children depends upon it. 

Thank you.

Elza and Reggie Libhart