A couple of people have emailed the blog suggesting a later start time for JAMS. A parent raised this issue at a JAMS meeting and later started an online petition for an 8:30 start time to match that of Nathan Hale. Tracy's petition makes some great points. Please check it out!
The National Sleep Foundation points out in an article on later school start times that adolescents need as much sleep as children, but the changes in their bodies make their natural "fall asleep" time later.
So how does this compare with other schools? Most Seattle middle schools start at 7:50. (Denny is the only exception -- it starts at 7:40!) Hale starts at 8:30; Garfield and Ingraham both start at 8:00.
So, what do you think? Any downsides?
The district will be voting January 8th on transportation service standards for 2014-15. Staff is recommending that we standardize bus arrival times within three tiers. (7:35, 8:25 and 9:15.) JAMS is expected to be in the first (7:35) tier. This is part of an effort to save money on transportation.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you'll get very far advocating a non-standard start time for one school - but it's possible a big push by parents could lead to a later start for all middle and high schools.
Couldn't JAMS have an 8:25 start and not be a non-standard start time? 8:25 is not much different from 8:30 so I would think JAMS could get the later start time it wants and also for the reasons stated by Laura below.
DeleteHere's my question - according to the principal at last week's meeting - there is some thinking about sharing Nathan Hale teachers where we don't have adequate #s for a full class (such as advanced orchestra). I know this is probably just in beginning stages, but I can't imagine how this would work without same start/end times with JAMS. Also, there may be a lot less busing than there was to Hamilton and Eckstein b/c most of the kids live much closer. We, for example, will lose our bus option b/c we're in the walk zone (though almost 2 miles away). With many fewer buses serving the school (no idea the #s though), it seems more likely that JAMS could be an exception and have a late start time.
ReplyDeleteI want a start time close to Nathan Hale's 830 am start. My kids will be traveling to/from together next year & it will only work if their school start times are similar.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteIf school started at 8:30, what time would the students get out of school? My son is on the Green Lake Kayaking Sprint team and they start at 3:30pm during the shorter days of the year. I would be concerned that it would be hard for him to make it to practice if school got out late.
Thanks!
Jennifer G.
Hi Jennifer! Eckstein starts at 7:50 and ends at 2:20, so if JAMS started at 8:30 dismissal would be at 3:00.
DeleteMy guess is Hale will be starting earlier next year to keep to a three-tier busing standard...which also means that JAMS will be on the early tier like all the other middle schools.
ReplyDeleteThe School Board will be voting on Transportation Standards for next year on January 22nd. If people are serious about a waiver and wanting to have the same start time as Nathan Hale, they should take formal action ASAP. There are rumors that Hale's start time will be changing to align with the other high schools. But I don't have a child there, so I don't know how likely that is or what Hale families are hearing.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, here is the district's proposed procedure to request a non-standard start time. I would suggest that JAMS and Hale file their requests jointly, mentioning the possible need to share staff for certain subjects:
"Individual schools may request a waiver from these times provided that the requested waiver is
cost neutral to the District and does not have a discriminatory impact on any protected class of
students, including students with disabilities. Schools seeking a waiver are to submit their request
to the Director of Logistics for review. The Director of Logistics will review requested time
changes with Metro Transit (if appropriate), District Transportation Department, Director of
Special Education, and respective Executive Director of Schools to identify any student service or
school activity conflicts, and to determine if the request is cost neutral to the District. The Director
of Logistics will provide the Executive Management Team with a recommendation, for approval or
denial."
I was wrong and Hale is not being moved to Tier 1, so the issue of sharing staff could be problematic for JAMS. It might be worth some email/letter writing to the staff and board about it.
ReplyDeleteTo leaverage the educational oppotunities between JAMS and Hale, such as math, foreign languages, and instrumental music, ESPECIALLY as kids are being pulled from Eckstein and Hamilton that both have rich and robust music offerings (including choral!), it is imperative that JAMS bell time be aligned with Hale. It is not about early or late, it is about being the same so that it is possible to do the 'walk tos' and to get kids the courses they need! PLEASE, PLEASE please advocate to support Principal Montgomery's vision to make JAMS as excellent as Eckstein and Hamilton, and, that starts by having a bell time that is the same as Hales. THIS IS VITAL -- PLEASE EMAIL THE BOARD AND MR. BANDA TODAY!! TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE . As far as I am concerned, this is absolutely vital to make JAMS be able to realize on the opportunities that uniquely exist at this campus, and that requires a same bell time.
ReplyDeleteThanks
-JAMS ROCKS!