Ortonville- Behavior and academic data are the main driving forces behind the decision to change the starting and ending times of the school day at Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School.
Beginning in September, fifth and sixth graders will start school at 7:15 a.m. and finish at 2:20 p.m. They will also ride the bus with seventh through twelfth grade students.
Currently, intermediate school students start school at 8:40 a.m., end at 3:45 p.m., and ride the bus with kindergarten through fourth grade students.
The switch has been proposed for a variety of reasons, said Principal Jeff Beane, including an easier transition to middle school, but the main reasons are, well, elementary.
‘Research indicates teenagers need more sleep than elementary students,? he said. ‘Younger kids are more ready to learn in the morning.?
BFIS students used to have an earlier start time, years ago. Teachers have observed that students were much more productive in the morning than during late afternoon instruction.
‘So, not only are we transitioning them to get up earlier, it’s more beneficial for kids this age to be in school earlier,? Beane said.
Teachers aren’t the only ones who have observed a change since students have been on the later time schedule.
Transportation Director Betty Martin said there have been more discipline problems on the buses in the three years intermediate students have shared buses with younger students.
‘We had intermediate school students with middle and high school students before, and some parents were not in favor,? she noted. ‘But I think there are more inappropriate things that younger students come in contact with by having intermediate school students on the bus with them than what intermediate school students hear from older students.?
Another concern was how late students were getting home and the time crunch with after school activities, programs, dinner, and homework.
‘Getting home at a reasonable time and finding time for homework has become more of a concern for teachers and parents,? said Beane. ‘With the time change, kids get home around 3 to 3:30, if not earlier, and it gives them a chance to wind down, get school work done, have dinner and participate in activities without a huge amount of pressure.?
The earliest time students riding the bus would be picked up would be 6:15 a.m., average is 6:30 a.m., the current times; however, the latest time a child is dropped off by the bus right now is about 5 p.m., and with the new schedule, Beane expects the latest dropoff time to be 3:20 p.m.
He acknowledged a possible downside is childcare.
‘People who have childcare issues in the morning probably wouldn’t anymore,? he said. ‘But some parents may have childcare issues in the afternoon, which they don’t have right now.?
Still, Superintendent Lorrie McMahon said people have been supportive and she will present the change at the March 9 board meeting.