It is our understanding that the district is planning on changing the start times of Parliament Place and William E DeLuca due to a bus driver shortage. We are asking DeLuca and Parliament families who really do not want this change again in their schools to sign this petition to have our voices heard.

These 2 schools were impacted and inconvenienced by a late start time change during the 2020-2021 school year due to social distancing on the busses. 

We as the parents of these students, understood that for the kids to go back to school, changes would have to be made. And while it is understood that changes must be made to accommodate the current bus driver situation, it should not impact the same 2 schools. We respectfully ask that you look to the other options for an adjusted start time so there is equity among the buildings. 

It would not be fair to do this to DeLuca and Parliament Place parents again, the whiplash back and forth is unfair and makes it very difficult for working parents. It is not right to do this again to the same families, most of which are back to in person work.

William E DeLuca Jr. and Parliament Place are two of the larger elementary schools - meaning it affects more families and a larger demographic of working parents.

DeLuca offers services that other families come from other North Babylon elementary schools as well as travel from outside our district (as far as Smithtown and East Northport). This means that it is a longer ride home for many of those students - who were then getting off the bus in almost darkness in the months of late December-February in the 2021 school year. Getting off the bus at 5pm in the winter months is just too late for our young children. 

DeLuca and Parliament also have lot of families who have their students split between other schools, for example DeLuca does not offer inclusion classes so many families split their children between DeLuca and Belmont. Parliament houses the dual language program. This makes it very difficult for parents who are sending kids on busses at different times and receiving their kids at different times - again, affecting the working parent the most.

DeLuca is amazing with our special needs classes - those students struggle the MOST with lack of consistency, to bounce those children back and forth over the course of 4 years is difficult for families - as well as the start time at Robert Moses is very close to the DeLuca (current) start, this helps with transitioning those kids into middle school - and those families need all the help they can get with that! Many DeLuca families have siblings in Robert Moses who pick their brother/sisters up at DeLuca when they get out of school - again, assisting their working parents.

This is not just about the start times. This is about the district treating all schools and all students the same. Today it is Parliament and DeLuca. Tomorrow it could be your school and your students.

Respectfully,

Concerned Parents of DeLuca and Parliament Place