Keep post Labor Day Start for Stafford County Schools
Please join us to let the Stafford County School Board know you would like to keep the start day of school AFTER Labor Day.
BACKGROUND:
According to the person who conducted Stafford County Schools Energy Audit, starting school early would result in a "significant" increase in energy costs. We have just learned we have a $19 million budget shortage. We are looking at not buying new textbooks/computers, programs going away, not replacing buses that have reached the end of their life cycle, and personnel reductions just to name a few things. But some school board members feel we have the money to waste on something like this. Additionally, the bus drivers feel it would be too hot for the children as our school buses have no air-conditioning and some children ride the bus up to an hour each way.
Central Office staff has repeatedly tried to get the school board to change the start date, despite consistent overwhelming opposition by the public. Staff has said we should do this "to improve test scores by allowing more time before high stakes tests". When asked by the school board to provide documentation supporting their claim, they admitted they could not. If staff truly feels extra days are important, they could cut some of the 15 half days we have. So far, they haven\'t.
Staff will soon be bringing another pre-Labor Day early start calendar to the school board for approval. So far, the following school board members have expressed their support to start early, some as much as three weeks:
Ms. Phillips - Hartwood District
Ms. Bohmke - Falmouth District (Vice Chair)
Ms. Johnson - Aquia District (Chair)
Most Recent Signatures
| Name | Comments | | 61 | Gwen Sorrell | I see no point in starting school before Labor Day. It will costs the schools much money to run, the kids won't want to be in there. As for vacation, my family can't afford to go to the beach in July. We don't like going in July. Who wants to get out in May? Not me. | | 60 | Dawn White | | | 59 | Denis Roshioru | | | 58 | Michele Roshioru | | | 57 | Heather Stefl | | | 56 | Stephen Crisp | | | 55 | Lena Crisp | | | 54 | Shirlene Upton | They want to start earlier. Why? Also, what is the point of starting early? This only means, that the kids get out earlier in the year so, what's the point? Want more days? Cut half days and shorten holiday vacations! | | 53 | Remy Kelish | | | 52 | Sandra Kelish | | | 51 | Annette Gentles | | | 50 | John Babec | | | 49 | Wendy Babec | | | 48 | Kristine Bealmear | | | 47 | Yvonne Barber | | | 46 | Christine Franklin | | | 45 | Ashley Krawczyk | | | 44 | Joe Harrison | | | 43 | heidi harrison | | | 42 | Joe Brito | | | 41 | Angelo Michael Carlone | I agree with Mariah Strickland's comments | | 40 | Ruth Carlone | | | 39 | Erin visser | Unless the extra time was used to give every child an IEP I am against extending the school year. We use the summer to apply what we have learned and would rather my kids experience those lessons rather than study for a mandated cookie cutter test. | | 38 | Kristina Ballard | | | 37 | Robert P (Bob) Hunt | |
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