We, the undersigned, call on the Walker County Board of Education to keep our previous 8 a.m. start time for the Fairyland Elementary 2024-2025 School Year.

As parents, the time we have with our children is fleeting. This is especially true for working parents, who would have less time with their children in the evenings due to earlier bed times to accommodate the new schedule. Working parents will also have the additional financial burden of providing 5 more days of childcare during the summer with a 175 day calendar.

Fairyland Elementary has been ranked 8th in Georgia Elementary Schools, and has consistently ranked within the top 10 Elementary Schools in the state. Let’s keep it that way. Multiple studies have linked early school start times to lower test scores. The trade off for the time change to gain 5 days on the calendar isn’t worth it. Let’s keep the school start time that is working for students, parents, and staff.