A seemingly small change in next year’s starting and ending times for two elementary and two middle schools on the Peninsula could change a family’s entire way of life, according to some parents who are becoming more vocal about the impending change.
The change could also lead to more traffic congestion and leave some students walking home in the dark, said Polly Traylor, president of the Point Loma Cluster Schools Council.
As a result, some parents are raising concern over the San Diego Unified School District’s (SSUSD) plans to save about $2.9 million in transportation funding by rearranging school busing schedules. The start and stop times for schools would depend on the busing schedules, which have been changed to increase efficiency, according to SDUSD documents.
About 30 parents and community members attended a Point Loma Cluster Schools Council meeting April 7 to voice concerns, Traylor said.
“The issue didn’t seem like a big deal, but when middle-school parents started discussing the issue it does seem to pose several problems to our area,” said Traylor.
A special meeting of the SSUSD Board of Education is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29 at the Eugene Brucker Education Center, 4100 Normal St. The meeting would address school time changes and other budget issues, according to SSUSD documents.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at 9 a.m.
Area schools slated for the new schedule, starting in September, include:
“¢ Silver Gate Elementary: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:45 a.m. to 1:55 p.m.; Thursdays from 7:45 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.
“¢ Sunset View Elementary: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:05 a.m. to 3:35 p.m.; Thursdays from 9:05 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
“¢ Dana Middle: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.; Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.
“¢ Correia Middle: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1:55 p.m.
The planned time change affects 59 schools across the SSUSD and possibly hundreds of families whose lives revolve around the ringing of the school bells.
Pressed to cut the fat because of an anticipated $80 million budget shortfall ” partly because of proposed cuts in Sacramento ” the school board voted Tuesday, March 11 to ax some bus contracts.
The change accompanied several cuts that include reductions to special education and central office operations, according to SSUSD documents.
Though moving start times to about 20 minutes later could save the district money, Traylor said the move raises safety concerns for parents ” especially when some students could end up walking home in the late afternoon and early evening in the fall.
The time change could increase traffic on the Peninsula as well, Traylor said. The later school lets out, the later parents would have to be on the road during peak traffic times, which could also significantly interrupt life at home.
Though the PLCS council remains a politically neutral organization, the group helps facilitate communication from community members to elected representatives and school administration, Traylor said.
For more information, visit www.sandi.net/budget/bell_times0809.html.