We, the parents, guardians, staff, and community members of Sedgefield Middle School, are asking Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education NOT to move Sedgefield Middle School from its current 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. bell schedule to the proposed 9:15 a.m.–4:15 p.m. schedule starting with the 2027-2028 school year.

A change of this magnitude would have a significant impact on Sedgefield students, families, teachers, and staff. We ask CMS to listen to the Sedgefield community and fully consider these impacts before making any change to our school’s bell schedule.

Why this matters:

Working families: A 9:15 a.m. start creates a major gap between when many parents need to leave for work and when middle school students would leave for school, creating new supervision, transportation, and childcare challenges.

Bus riders: Students who rely on CMS transportation would begin and end their school day substantially later, potentially arriving home well into the late afternoon or early evening.

After-school activities: A 4:15 p.m. dismissal would significantly affect school athletics, clubs, tutoring, rehearsals, and other extracurricular activities, as well as activities outside of school.

Families with children at multiple schools: Many Sedgefield families also have children at feeder elementary schools or CMS high schools. A dramatically later middle school schedule could make morning and afternoon transportation, childcare, and family routines much more difficult.

Teachers and staff: Many Sedgefield teachers and staff commute more than 20 minutes to school. A later schedule could place both ends of their commute during heavier rush-hour traffic and could create additional challenges involving childcare and their own family schedules.

Family routines and student well-being: A later dismissal pushes everything else later—activities, homework, dinner, family time, and bedtime.

We understand that district-wide transportation and scheduling decisions are complex. However, those operational challenges must be weighed against the real impact a nearly two-hour shift would have on the Sedgefield community.

We respectfully ask CMS and the Board of Education to keep Sedgefield Middle School’s current bell schedule and to engage directly with Sedgefield families and staff before making any significant change.

Please sign this petition if you believe the voices of Sedgefield students, families, teachers, and staff should be heard before our bell schedule is changed for the 27-28 school year.