Jump to content

Menu

Why do schools get out so early in the day??


Moxie
 Share

Recommended Posts

I am baffled by your question. What do you believe the is the purpose of schools? How long do you believe kids should be in school?

 

Eta: IF school went until 5, AND my kids were in school, they would be gone from 6:30 a.m. To 6:30 p.m. (and this assumes NO extracurricular activities) H*ll no!

  • Like 17
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because school is not daycare.

 

Where I am from, school ends at 1:30pm until 10th grade. People go home for lunch and those of us with both parents working would buy their own lunch somewhere before going home. For 11-12th grade, school dismissal was 4:30pm. Latchkey wasn't frown upon.

 

ETA:

One of the school bus stops is actually in front of the neighborhood public library. Kids can go straight to the library and get their homework done there until parents/caregivers come get them.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are after school programs that are very common and very popular in my area. Schools educate until 2:30 pm. The kids then go to after school programs which provide fun, activities, homework help, snacks, creativity etc. In my area, after school programs offer diverse things - creative writing, debate, robotics, martial arts, dance, yoga, soccer, tennis, piano, voice, chess, math enrichment, computer programming, homework help, crafts, painting etc. Ofcourse, not every place offers every thing, but parents sign up with the places that best suit their kids interest and needs and these aftercare providers drive vans to local schools to pick up the kids and the kids stay in those places until late (even until 7:00 pm sometimes) when both parents are working.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our local schools run 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for grades K-8 and for those taking a zero hour class in high school start sooner, but usually let out at 2:30 so the busses can be loaded and down to the elementary school by 3.

 

They only give a 10 min. break in the morning, 10 min. in the afternoon and 30 min. at lunch but only 10 of that is for eating. So out of a 7 hr. day, 5 hrs. 50 min. in class and the average school bus ride is an hour each way which turns this into an 8 hr. day.

 

I think that is plenty long enough for elementary and junior high. I don't mind high school being that long or longer because if the student goes to a decent college or university after school and takes a full load, the day are full. If the student goes into the work force full time, they need to be prepared for an 8 hr. day plus commute time.

 

I would hate to see small children who ride the bus in school even longer. I know other countries do it, but I think they give much longer recess periods and are not so anal retentive about sitting perfectly still, standing in perfect lines, and whispering at lunch as many American schools are.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the opposite complaint.  Why must they go so long there?  A couple of years ago the students weren't getting out until 4:30.  I thought that was ridiculous.  Due to budget issues they have shortened that by quite a bit.  Some get out at 2:30 and some at 3:30.  In the winter it is dark by 4 here.  So kids were going to school in the dark and going home in the dark.  Depressing.

 

For those that need child care they have very affordable after school care here.  Either through the Y for cost, or the Boys and Girls Club for free. 

 

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the opposite complaint. Why must they go so long there? A couple of years ago the students weren't getting out until 4:30. I thought that was ridiculous. Due to budget issues they have shortened that by quite a bit. Some get out at 2:30 and some at 3:30. In the winter it is dark by 4 here. So kids were going to school in the dark and going home in the dark. Depressing.

 

For those that need child care they have very affordable after school care here. Either through the Y for cost, or the Boys and Girls Club for free.

How does a shorter day save money?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought it was because they didn't want the school bus traffic to have to compete with rush hour traffic.

 

Also they want kids to be able to play outside before the sun goes down.

 

Traditionally there was someone home (or a babysitter available) for young school kids.  And kids were trusted home without adults a lot younger.

 

Forcing everyone to stay in school until 5pm would take away better options for many kids and still not solve the "work day" problem for others.  (I don't think I've ever had a job that had me home at 5pm - except my present one where I work at home.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where do schools get out at 2:30? Every district around here lets out after 3. Our elementary used to end at 3:45, granted they started at 9, but you were allowed to drop off 8-8:30ish.

K-5th is 8:15am to 2:15pm. For Wednesday it is 1:15pm

6th-8th is 8:15am to 3:30pm, Wednesday would be 2:30pm

9th-12th, I don't know what time unless I check but the school bus reach the drop off points in my neighborhood at around 5:15-5:30pm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How does a shorter day save money?

 

Beats me.  I suppose it cuts down on the amount of electricity/gas needed.  They had added some staff to do some enrichment stuff so this wasn't academics all day long.  Less food. Maybe per teacher contracts they had to pay them more.  I'm just guessing though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elementary here is 7:40-2:40.  Middle is something like 8:20-3:40.  High school is 8:45-4:05.  (San Antonio, Texas)

 

I agree with everyone else that has said school is not daycare nor is it a substitute for parenting.  7+ hours is more than enough.  Kids are *tired* by the end of the day.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why do schools get out so LATE in this country?

Back home, elementary students are finished with school by 11:30 or  noon. Children who need care after school hours can attend after care.

It is absurd to believe that keeping 6 year olds in school for 7 hours makes it possible to cram more academics in than teaching them efficiently for 3 hours and then letting them go play.

 

As others said: school is not daycare. And a child's life should not be spent entirely at school. I already found it difficult to fit in good instrument practice and other activities after school because a kid who has been in school for 7+ hours is just plain tired.

  • Like 37
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem I see is that after school care costs so as soon as kids are old enough to stay alone they become latchkey kids. Which isn't horrible, I guess. It just seems like there should be something better for them. I know lots of grandmas that step in for a few hours but not all kids have that (mine don't).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes they do get very tired.  My kids were friends with two children of a mom I was friends with.  They played a couple of years before everyone was school aged.  Then when the kids went to school (mine didn't) we tried to get together after school and it didn't work.  Her kids were cranky and tired.  I think it is ridiculous that they make 5 year olds sit in school for over 7 hours a day.

 

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to say, I am amazed at all these "start at 9" schools! 

For us: 
Doors open at 7:30 for breakfast, bell rings to dimiss to class at 7:45, classes begins at 8:00.
First bus dismissal is at 2:45, next bus dismissal is at 2:50, car riders dismiss at 2:55, walkers dismiss at 3:00. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem I see is that after school care costs so as soon as kids are old enough to stay alone they become latchkey kids. Which isn't horrible, I guess. It just seems like there should be something better for them. I know lots of grandmas that step in for a few hours but not all kids have that (mine don't).

 

What do you mean by "better"? You are talking about children old enough to stay home alone, so why shouldn't they? They may enjoy some time left all to themselves (I sure did). At that age, they don't need an adult to entertain them.

  • Like 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First bus dismissal is at 2:45, next bus dismissal is at 2:50, car riders dismiss at 2:55, walkers dismiss at 3:00. 

 

Our school did something similar and I found this very irritating: why do the kids who walk to school get punished and have to stay latest? They should encourage walking and let the walkers leave first. (Yes, I know, the school cited stupid "safety concerns"... sometimes I don't get this country). It's not like in the morning walkers get to arrive later than the others (which, if "safety" is the issue, would be logical)

  • Like 13
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where do schools get out at 2:30?  Every district around here lets out after 3.  Our elementary used to end at 3:45, granted they started at 9, but you were allowed to drop off 8-8:30ish.

 

Our local high schools get out at 2:30. The kids start at 7:15.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here they have after school care for kids as old as 8th grade.  In high school they are there a bit longer and they have tons and tons of after school clubs, sports, etc.  There is no shortage of stuff available to kids who need somewhere to be after school.  There are even a ton of free options.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here they have after school care for kids as old as 8th grade.  In high school they are there a bit longer and they have tons and tons of after school clubs, sports, etc.  There is no shortage of stuff available to kids who need somewhere to be after school.  There are even a ton of free options.

 

Same here. Starting in middle school, there are free after school clubs at the school every day of the week - so not even transportation needed.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see nothing wrong with the school offering affordable or even free after school care (and I'm willing to pay for it for me or for the greater good), but I do have a problem with having it forced on everyone.  In the very beginning my plan was to at least homeschool for kindergarten because they were just starting with the full day stuff and I didn't agree with it.  Then up until the economy got ugly, schools were having students stay there later and later.  I hated that.  One district over they were even having them eat their dinner at school.  So breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Why don't they just move in?! 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see nothing wrong with the school offering affordable or even free after school care (and I'm willing to pay for it for me or for the greater good), but I do have a problem with having it forced on everyone.  In the very beginning my plan was to at least homeschool for kindergarten because they were just starting with the full day stuff and I didn't agree with it.  Then up until the economy got ugly, schools were having students stay there later and later.  I hated that.  One district over they were even having them eat their dinner at school.  So breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Why don't they just move in?! 

 

Reminded me of this old Onion story: http://www.theonion.com/article/increasing-number-of-parents-opting-to-have-childr-17159

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our school did something similar and I found this very irritating: why do the kids who walk to school get punished and have to stay latest? They should encourage walking and let the walkers leave first. (Yes, I know, the school cited stupid "safety concerns"... sometimes I don't get this country). It's not like in the morning walkers get to arrive later than the others (which, if "safety" is the issue, would be logical)

For us, with the bus routes and the car lines, it really is a safety issue because the walkers would have to cross with more congestion. This allows the buses to get to the other schools, the parents to pick up at one school and get to the other, and then the walkers don't have as much congestion on side roads and the main roads. 

We had kids hit or nearly hit before they started the staggered times. Since then, it's been a lot better. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For us, with the bus routes and the car lines, it really is a safety issue because the walkers would have to cross with more congestion. This allows the buses to get to the other schools, the parents to pick up at one school and get to the other, and then the walkers don't have as much congestion on side roads and the main roads. 

We had kids hit or nearly hit before they started the staggered times. Since then, it's been a lot better. 

 

They should let the walkers leave early. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This whole conversation makes me angry, and I really should just walk away however...

For the bus driver to get my house they need to leave town by six. nearly 90% of our bus drivers are also teachers. then if school got out at five would be 630 before the bus showed up at my house ( later if it rained or snowed!) and seven before they made it back to town. so now these adults are being worked 13 hour days. where does that leave time for them to lesson plan (in order to do their job) and time to be with their family?

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This whole conversation makes me angry, and I really should just walk away however...

For the bus driver to get my house they need to leave town by six. nearly 90% of our bus drivers are also teachers. then if school got out at five would be 630 before the bus showed up at my house ( later if it rained or snowed!) and seven before they made it back to town. so now these adults are being worked 13 hour days. where does that leave time for them to lesson plan (in order to do their job) and time to be with their family?

Around here, teachers are teachers and bus drivers are bus drivers. And teachers have a planning period.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This whole conversation makes me angry, and I really should just walk away however...

For the bus driver to get my house they need to leave town by six. nearly 90% of our bus drivers are also teachers. then if school got out at five would be 630 before the bus showed up at my house ( later if it rained or snowed!) and seven before they made it back to town. so now these adults are being worked 13 hour days. where does that leave time for them to lesson plan (in order to do their job) and time to be with their family?

 

That sounds like a pretty unusual situation.  Do you happen to live in a very rural area?  That's the only reason I can fathom for an arrangement like that.  It's not like that here at all.  In fact teachers pretty much have a good gig in terms of number of hours they have to work.  And bus drivers are never teachers.  Or the other way around.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that it's a matter of longer days aren't conducive to kids learning more and they do need real downtime. The districts in our area are phasing out half day kindergarten, and I know that DS at least wouldn't have been able to handle that long of a day. Even after a full day of first grade he was completely wiped out. It wasn't a big part of our decision to bring him home, but it seemed like so much of his day was spent with the teacher organizing the big classroom of kids. That's time he now has to read and play between completing his school work at home.

 

The elementary school day is 8:40-3:00 here. I know the middle schools and high schools start and end a little earlier, but I'm not sure of the exact time. The 7th grader across the street has to be at the bus stop around 7am though.

 

When I was in Catholic school, elementary school was 8:10-2:30 and high school (college prep) was 7:55-2:30. The public schools started and ended a bit later, I think.

 

All of the district elementary schools have after care that's run through the park district at the schools. The bigger day care centers (kindercare, etc) have buses that pick up kids from the schools and take them to the centers until their parents are able to pick them up.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always felt ds got out too late. When he didn't have after school activities, it was hard to fit in dinner, homework, family time, sleep, showers, etc. between 4:30pm and 8am.  When he did have after school activities, forget about it!

 

My high school dismissed at 2:05 when I was growing up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That sounds like a pretty unusual situation. Do you happen to live in a very rural area? That's the only reason I can fathom for an arrangement like that. It's not like that here at all. In fact teachers pretty much have a good gig in terms of number of hours they have to work. And bus drivers are never teachers. Or the other way around.

Yes. Very rural.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Where do schools get out at 2:30?  Every district around here lets out after 3.  Our elementary used to end at 3:45, granted they started at 9, but you were allowed to drop off 8-8:30ish.

 

Around here, elementary schools are about six and a half hours, middle school and up is seven hours. The principal has some leeway to determine when the school opens and closes, so long as they can schedule a bus, but they're somewhat staggered.

 

Start time in elementary schools (not counting breakfast) runs from about 8 to about 9. A school that starts at 8 will let out at 2:30, and so on. (High schoolers can determine their own classes, and thus can start really late or really early, and end really REALLY early if they skip lunch.)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The big district here has 7:15-2:15, 8:15-3:15 and 9:15-4:15 schools. Most schools have before care, aftercare, or both physically on campus or right next door at a low cost or free, which includes tutoring, supervised homework time, extracurriculars, and stuff like that. I've taught band at 6:30 in the morning and choir at 3:30 in the afternoon in the same school before because the before and after care time was the only time that it could be scheduled due to the kids having no time for electives-gotta get that test prep in somewhere!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...