Summary of the November 15 Work Session of the Collierville School Board. Full board present.
Review of
- October Financial Statements
- 2019 Board Calendar – only through June
- Policy on Board Meetings – relocating to CHS Community Room
- SFES Parking Lot Resurfacing closeout – closes out the contract, total cost stayed within the contingency cost. Contingency was used to address some additional curb repairs and grading issues
- Change Order and close out for West Collierville Middle Construction – closes out the contract
School Start Times Committee Final Report – presented by Mr Jeff Jones.
- Full report expected to be published within 24 hours
- Mr Jones called the process eye opening and a growth opportunity
- Each community is unique, have to take into account the culture
- Thanks to the community members – wide and diverse representation
- Unexpected to have a unanimous recommendation for the board
- Committee asked for in December, and established by board vote in January
- Charter was to study the start times and possible changes
- Several committee members present tonight. Full roster on the schools website.
- Committee achieved expected outcomes
- Committee spun off several subcommittees to focus on specific areas
- Meetings started in April and ran through the end of October
- Seven surveys conducted, polling students, parents, and school staff
- Overview of scientific data reviewed, case studies, surveys
Conclusion 1: 7 am start time is out of the mainstream: only 4% in the US start before 7:30
Conclusion 2: 7 am start time is too early is agreed upon across the all stakeholder groups (even if not everyone wants it to change for themselves)
Conclusion 3: More sleep is better
Conclusion 4: high school should continue to start and dismiss before elementary schools
Conclusion 5: scheduling of extracurricular activities poses a significant obstacle to delayed start times, but a 30 minute delay would not cause significant disruption
Conclusion 6: financial impact of increased transportation costs is unavoidable and significant, but broad community support for reasonable cost exists
Committee considered 6 alternatives, including “no change”
14-0 vote (Jeff Jones and Wanda Chism recused themselves) in support of:
- 7:30-2:30 CHS
- 8:15-3:15 Middle Schools
- 9:00-4:00 Elementary Schools
Benefits:
- More sleep
- no student will be picked up before 6:45am; current earliest pickup is 6am
- less driving in the dark in the morning for buses, students, parents
- minimal impact on after-school activities
- middle schoolers gain 15 minutes in the morning
- shorter ride times on buses in morning and afternoon
- elementary schoolers will have earlier ‘last drop off’ time
- broad support from parents, teachers, and students
- unanimous endorsement from school start times committee, representing a broad range of views across the community
Challenges:
- annual fiscal impact of $464,000 and up without obvious source of funding
- still not meeting medical guidelines from American Medical Association (8:30 am or later)
Mrs Chism comments – sleep and sleep patterns are compelling, but need to take the culture into account
Mr Cox: will the shorter turnaround times be reasonable with increased traffic due to others on the road? Chism: Studies used only looked at change in traffic from 7am to 8am, but not from 7am to 7:30am. Mr Jones believes the data is available in 15 minute increments, and will follow up. Also desire to confirm Carrier plant start times.
Mr Hansen: what is driving the need for 7 additional buses? Mr Jones: the buses will have fewer stops to pick up to make the shorter time, which means more buses are needed.
Mr Jones: buses in the afternoon have higher occupancy, due to parents dropping students off at school on their way to work.
Mr Cox: the zoning committee was super thorough, but the start time committee blows them out of the water in thoroughness.
Mr Jones: it is sad to hear the very negative comments on Facebook disparaging the committee.
Mr Vaughan: wants to see where the funding would come from in the budget. Presents the position that his children managed to get through the schools with the current start times, as did most of the board members’ children. “Will vote against any proposal that will cost us money,” but expresses continued dislike for having kids at bus stops at 6 am. Wants to have the board maintain proper fiscal stewardship. Also concerned about commuting traffic.
Mr Jones: any decision on start times by the board can be reversed or adjusted later on, based on impacts (positive and negative).
Mr Jones also mentions the system doesn’t know the true operating cost of the new school configurations. If we need to, we can reverse the decision in a year for financial reasons.
Mr Aitken: new governor and new commissioner of education will have new budgets and priorities. Need to keep paying Shelby County, and keep eye on OBEP requirements.
Committee recommendation will be brought before the board at the business meeting for a vote, with additional information on financial impacts on budget.
Superintendent Update:
- Central Office has more renovations by the town, including blocking parking entry from Poplar and a new frontage on the building, and renovation of all the restrooms.
- SPED department moving to former learning cottages at WCMS
- Dr Kelley selected as administrator of the year
- Thanksgiving WEEK of no school starts after Friday dismissal!
Chairman Update:
- November business meeting 11/29 at 6:30 in town chambers
- Collierville Education Foundation will have appreciation event at the Quonset on Dec 4
- Dec 3 swearing in of aldermen and school board members
- Dec business meeting will be in Community Room at the High School
Meeting adjourned.