School board adopts calendar
cut.”
At Tuesday’s board meeting, Chairwoman Cindy Vaillancourt was the only vote against retaining the current start time model.
Several parents said they were disappointed with the board’s decision. Noreen Naroo Pucci, an Elkridge resident, said she believed the board did not think the decision through.
“I think they made a complete mockery of the word, ‘vote,’ ” Pucci said about the board’s decision to rescind its February ruling. “I’m not naive that this would cost us money in the budget, but where can we get creative? There wasn’t even that kind of approach.”
Scientific studies, including those reviewed by the advisory committee, noted the detriments of sleep deprivation on teenagers.
“No child should be outside at 6:35 a.m.
They’re not absorbing anything at 7:25 in the morning,” Pucci said. “We are not preparing these children to work and be competitive in a global environment.”
Ellicott City resident Kelly Balchunas said the board had “a tough decision” to make and that they probably made the right decision to not change start times for 2018.
However, she said, the discussion should be ongoing.
“I would have preferred to see the board set a realistic date for making this happen in the future and earmarking funds, beginning now, to make sure it actually occurs,”
Balchunas said. “Healthy sleep habits are important adolescent concerns and should not be overlooked.
“There are pressing budget concerns right now that cannot be ignored, but budget concerns are always going to be a reason to not move forward on some initiatives,” she said.
At Tuesday’s board meeting, Chairwoman Cindy Vaillancourt was the only vote against retaining the current start time model.
Several parents said they were disappointed with the board’s decision. Noreen Naroo Pucci, an Elkridge resident, said she believed the board did not think the decision through.
“I think they made a complete mockery of the word, ‘vote,’ ” Pucci said about the board’s decision to rescind its February ruling. “I’m not naive that this would cost us money in the budget, but where can we get creative? There wasn’t even that kind of approach.”
Scientific studies, including those reviewed by the advisory committee, noted the detriments of sleep deprivation on teenagers.
“No child should be outside at 6:35 a.m.
They’re not absorbing anything at 7:25 in the morning,” Pucci said. “We are not preparing these children to work and be competitive in a global environment.”
Ellicott City resident Kelly Balchunas said the board had “a tough decision” to make and that they probably made the right decision to not change start times for 2018.
However, she said, the discussion should be ongoing.
“I would have preferred to see the board set a realistic date for making this happen in the future and earmarking funds, beginning now, to make sure it actually occurs,”
Balchunas said. “Healthy sleep habits are important adolescent concerns and should not be overlooked.
“There are pressing budget concerns right now that cannot be ignored, but budget concerns are always going to be a reason to not move forward on some initiatives,” she said.
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