SCCPSS School Start Times Could Change

Listen up parents. School start times for Savannah-Chatham County schools are about to change.

It’s all because school districts across the state are feeling the pinch and the governor cut 3% to education.

For Savannah-Chatham Schools, that means a cut of more than $5 million dollars.

The school board will vote tomorrow on a cut of $2.1 million dollars and it's all coming in the form of transportation.

3 On Your Side education reporter, Randi Hempel, explains how they're going to save so much money and what it means for you.

“First Student, along with a committee of principals and other central office staff members worked together and developed a 4 tier system that would allow us to use less buses, less drivers and to serve the same number of schools,” explains Otis Brock, Chief Operations Officer for the district.

Middle schools would go to school from 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
High schools would start later; at 8:15 a.m. and dismiss at 3:15 p.m.
Elementary schools would be spilt. Tier one schools, the ones with a longer commute, will go from 8:50 a.m. - 3:35 p.m., while neighborhood schools, placed in tier two, will begin at 9:05 a.m. and dismiss at 3:50 p.m. Originally they were set for a 9:20 a.m. start.

Heather Stanley is one of many parents concerned by the original plan.

"There were some concerns from the parents just wondering why we couldn't go to an earlier start time rather than a later and go back to the at old system where it's more like an 830 start time,” explains May Howard school council president.

“After some input from parents and discussions with the administration, they were able to move it back to 9:05. I'd like to see it earlier. I think students do better, the younger students going to school earlier, the middle school and high school students going to school later,” explains Greg Sapp, District 4 school board member.

"With all the cuts that the Governor is making, we think that what we've come up with that we're presenting to the board on Wednesday, August 5th, is going to be something that that families can work it's a minimal change in time, but it will allow us to do some significant cost savings that may save some areas that are just as important for families,” adds Brock.

District 4's Greg Sapp says this should open up a larger discussion about the elementary schools starting earlier and the middle and high schools starting their days later.

The vote will take place tomorrow at the school board meeting at the Whitney Complex off of President Street.

Proposed Bell Times for 2009‐2010 School Year
Updated: 8/4/09

Middle Schools: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
High Schools: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Tier 1 Elementary Schools: 8:50 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.
Bartow
Bloomingdale
Butler
Coastal Empire
Coastal GA
Ellis
Gadsden
Garrison
Heard
Hesse
Islands
Largo-Tibet
Marshpoint
Thunderbolt

Tier 2 Elementary Schools: 9:05 a.m. - 3:50 p.m.
East Broad
Garden City
Georgetown
Gould
Haven
Hodge
Howard
Isle of Hope
JG Smith
Juliette Low
Pooler
Pt. Wentworth
Pulaski
Southwest
Spencer
West Chatham
White Bluff
Windsor