Politics & Government

Pasco Sets School Start, Stop Times

Changes may come in the years ahead.

While the Pasco County School Board voted Tuesday to leave start and stop times for district schools roughly the same as this year for 2011-12, changes may be on the horizon.

School board member Allen Altman asked about the possibility of switching elementary and high school starting and ending times. Most high schools in the county have start times between 7:30 and 8:40 a.m. Elementary schools start as late as 9:40 a.m.

The reason for the inquiry about flopping start times lies in “national research that shows older students perform better with later start times,” said district spokeswoman Summer Romagnoli. Both Mitchell and Ridgewood high schools were given a later start time this year. Altman would like a board workshop set up to discuss the topic further and see how these schools fared, she said.

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The concept of flip-flopping start times has been brought up in the past, but was largely shot down due to transportation logistics, high school athletic schedules and a concern that elementary-aged children would be at bus stops before the sun came up during certain times of the year, said Superintendent Heather Fiorentino.

“There’s been a real concern about being in the dark with the little children,” Fiorentino said.

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Board member Alison Crumbley would like the district to at least consider giving all high schools the same start and stop times. With school starting so early and some after-school activities taking place so late, “these kids do not get sleep,” she said.

For his part, Altman would just like the issue explored more closely and “looked at from a student achievement (standpoint).”

Whatever the case, he said, “there will not be a perfect solution.”

There was no firm date set to discuss the matter further.

Here are the start times for schools in the Land O’ Lakes area for 2011-12:

  • Connerton Elementary – 9:40 a.m.
  • Denham Oaks Elementary – 9:40 a.m.
  • Oakstead Elementary – 9:40 a.m.
  • Odessa Elementary – 9:40 a.m.
  • Pine View Elementary – 9:40 a.m.
  • Charles S. Rushe Middle School – 8:40 a.m.
  • Pine View Middle School 8:40 a.m.
  • Land O’ Lakes High School – 7:30 a.m.
  • Sunlake High School – 7:30 a.m.


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