Some CV District Schools Change Start/Stop Times

Parents and students in Central Valley and West Valley schools might want to check their schedules before Wednesday’s start of school.

Some schools are changing the time the school day starts or ends.

In Central Valley, changes are coming in start or dismissal times or both at four elementary schools: Ponderosa, University, Sunrise and Progress.

In each case, the kindergartners, first- and second-graders will be let out at the same time as the third-through sixth-grade students. In years past, the primary students ended their school days 20 minutes or so before the older students.

This year, Ponderosa starts at 9 a.m. and lets out at 3 p.m.

Progress starts at 9:10 a.m. and lets out at 3:10 p.m. Sunrise keeps its start time of 8:50 a.m., but lets out at 3 p.m. University’s starts at 9 a.m. and lets out at 3 p.m.

The changes are meant to simplify transportation scheduling and to maximize education time, said Carol Peterson, elementary director for Central Valley. These changes are part of a district-wide push to have all elementary schools using just one dismissal time.

In addition, some CV elementary principals are revamping lunch hours and recess, so that students will spend more time in the classroom. Those changes are being made on a school-by-school basis.

“We are looking at all the academic demands being put especially on our fourth-graders, and we want to give our first- and second-graders the best chance to succeed,” Peterson said.

West Valley elementary schools, on the other hand, are moving to shorter school days, with a 9 a.m. start this year instead of 8:45 a.m. The dismissal time of 3:25 p.m. remains the same.

That reduction means less playground time, rather than less classroom time, said Superintendent Dave Smith.

“We have had too many minutes on the playground,” Smith said. “We have been working on and off for 10 years to do something about this.”

The later start at the grade schools also is driven by changes at West Valley High School. The high school day will begin at 8 a.m. this year, a half-hour later than last year, to prevent such an early start to the school day for some students.

“We had some kids up on the (Pleasant) Prairie who were being picked up at 6 in the morning,” said Joe Dawson, head of transportation for WV schools. “That’s awfully early.”

Students participating in zero-hour classes, such as dance team, had to rise at 5 a.m.

West Valley High is moving from seven to six periods, with no change in class period times. Students will be expected on campus for the entire day. In years past, not all students had to attend first or seventh periods.