Fairfax County Public Schools announces new bell schedules for 2015-16
High school students might get to sleep a little longer next year. New bell schedules announced by Fairfax County Public Schools March 10 reflect later school start times agreed to for the 2015-16 school by the school board last October.
The policy approved by the school board calls for high schools to start at 8:10 a.m., rather than current start time of 7:20 a.m. That was done in response to studies showing the health benefits of more sleep for adolescents.
To make that work, middle schools would start earlier – 7:30 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. Four elementary schools would start at their current times. Eight would start at 8:30 or 8:35, and the rest of the elementary schools would start within five or 10 minutes earlier or later.
Here’s the bell schedule for elementary schools in the Annandale/Mason area:
Annandale Terrace – 8:40 a.m.-3:25 p.m.
Bailey’s – 9:05 a.m.-3:50 p.m.
Bailey’s Upper – 8:40 a.m.-3:25 p.m.
Beech Tree – 9:15 a.m.-4 p.m.
Belvedere – 9:20 a.m.-4:05 p.m.
Braddock – 8:55 a.m.-3:40 p.m.
Bren Mar Park – 9:15 a.m.-4 p.m.
Camelot – 8:55 a.m.-3:40 p.m.
Columbia – 9:15 a.m.-4 p.m.
Glen Forest – 9:20 a.m.-4:05 p.m.
Mantua – 9:20 a.m.-4:05 p.m.
Mason Crest – 9:15 a.m.-4 p.m.
Parklawn – 8:40 a.m.-3:25 p.m.
Ravensworth – 8:25 a.m.- 3:10 p.m.
Sleepy Hollow – 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Westlawn – 8:35 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
Weyanoke – 8:35 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
Woodburn – 9:20 a.m.-4:05 p.m.
Principals are expected to advise parents about their new schedule for next year. Parents should receive new bus schedules during the summer.
5 responses to “Fairfax County Public Schools announces new bell schedules for 2015-16”
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This is odd, middle school starting before the high school.
http://www.fcps.edu/news/starttimes/Bell-Schedule-MS.pdf
I for one am NOT happy as my son is middle school and now he has to be there by 7:30??!!! WHAT A JOKE.
I completely agree. It sounds like they're just passing the problem down to the middle schoolers. Sacrificial play. I really wish they could let all ages get the proper amount of sleep.
Agreed. It has always been my experience that younger children tend to wake up earlier naturally, so if you have to stagger that much, why not have elementary kids start earlier? It would also allow for working parents (generally speaking) to only have to arrange for after-school care for elementary aged children, rather than both before and after.
It makes sense for the youngest kids to start school earliest but parents don't like little kids waiting at the bus stop in the winter dark. Personally I don't think this is any more dangerous. We have to have staggered times to reuse buses or we'd have to pay for more buses and drivers plus parking & maintenance on the additional vehicles.