A clock marks the time in a Clarke Central High School hallway on May 9. After considering multiple options, Clarke County School District administrators have decided against a schedule change for the 2023-24 school year. “CCSD thanks all of those who took the time to provide thoughtful input and potential solutions for the issues our district faces with regard to school schedules and transportation,” a press release stated. “We appreciate your feedback and support as we work to best meet the needs of our students, staff, and families.” Photo by Anna Shaikun
After deliberation, Clarke County School District leaders opt not to modify school start and end times for the 2023-2024 school year.
After recieving feedback from the community, Clarke County School District administrators have ruled that high school start times will remain the same for the 2023-24 school year.
Due to transportation-related issues, the CCSD launched a study committee, comprised of school leaders and district-level staff, to consider the modification of school start and end times for the 2023-24 academic year. As part of the committee’s work, the CCSD solicited feedback from community members on two proposals for changes to the current school schedules.
“We received hundreds of comments and have read each one. It became clear as we reviewed the comments— which came from teachers, students, parents, other caregivers, and members of the community at large — that there was no single favored path forward,” a May 9 CCSD press release stated.
Based on the responses garnered, district administrators felt that the scheduling issue required more research and deliberation before any potential changes are made.
“We will continue to study the problems related to bus driver shortages, bus routes, and instructional time missed due to transportation issues and will continue to seek public input throughout the process. However, our school start and end times will remain the same for the upcoming school year,” the press release stated.
“We will continue to study the problems related to bus driver shortages, bus routes, and instructional time missed due to transportation issues and will continue to seek public input throughout the process. However, our school start and end times will remain the same for the upcoming school year.”
— CCSD press release
With the high school start time remaining the same, members of the Clarke Central High School community had varying opinions.
“I am interested in knowing what their rationale was for one having tried to change it and then deciding to keep it the same,” English department teacher Erin Horton said. “I don’t know if you’ve met a teenager recently, but they don’t like to be up very early and actually really and truly, they need their rest.”
Junior Alwin Joseph was relieved to hear that the schedule would not be changing.
“I’m very happy and stunned about the schedule staying the same because I really thought it was going to change because all the teachers were going along with it but I’m very happy because I have trouble waking up in the morning,” Joseph said. “So, it just makes it better.”
Although CCSD administrators have not come to a formal consensus yet, the press release expresses their appreciation for the community’s feedback.
“CCSD thanks all of those who took the time to provide thoughtful input and potential solutions
for the issues our district faces with regard to school schedules and transportation,” the press release stated. “We appreciate your feedback and support as we work to best meet the needs of our students, staff, and families.”
