An alert reader let us know that EPISD is planning to change school hours next year.
The proposed schedule is:
8:15 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.–elementary schools
7:50 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.–middle schools
8:45 a.m. to 3:55 p.m.–high schools
At this point we don’t know if these changes will require board approval.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
This is already at the EPISD website! It was done quietly without any respect for the working community. If you are unlucky enough to have children in all levels, you will spend every day ALL morning delivering children! Here is what will happen now: The public will find out today. There will be outcry. The EPISD spin machine will cite some ridiculous study about why this is good for children and will cite some asinine survey with outrageously low participation that told them the community wanted this and it wasn’t the district’s idea but they’re just giving parents what they want. Then Tim, the EPISD cheerleader who has a track record of being the clown prince of apologism, will arrogantly post about how change is good and only angry old guys like us don’t like this. Meanwhile, our the board and ChupaCabrera beat their chests about how they got us a puny raise that won’t even cover the increase in insurance costs, parade their Tom Vander Ark trendy connection doubletalk to BS people into believing we are now progressive while out test scores are lower than every other district in the area (enter Tim again to explain why not learning is now stylish for children), and ChupaCabrera gets almost $100,000 of raise when you add in all the perks in his new contract. And the sheep of El Paso will allow themselves to be screwed again. And now, heeeeeeeere’s Tim to explain why the Emperor’s new clothes are the best ever and why we he’s right and everyone else is stupid.
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NEDOAM … Applause. Nicely done. I aspire to write such a post.
Looking forward to hear from the Crown Prince of Apologism. Keep in mind, “anything he writes here doesn’t represent the perspective of his employer.”
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Dang NEDOAM…angry some?
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Not sure Tim. I believe sarcasm, your number one tool, is passive aggressive deep seated anger. So I guess we could ask you the same question. Not everything is a joke.
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Believe what you wish…
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Responsible parents will get their children to school on time and pick them up…What is the problem with hours?
With all the road destruction in El Paso easier if child home schooled…
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Boy, ain’t that a real winner of an idea! The kids are failing, so let’s not make them attend school so many hours a day. WTF? I went to school from 9 to 4 as a minimum from the first grade thru high school. Are we afraid that the dear little snowflakes will stay in mama’s basement because it makes them unhappy?
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Many of the administrative decisions are made by the “Executive Council” and then published. I don’t believe anyone is clear on what requires Board approval. Adding 20 minutes to the school day allows an infinite number of scheduling possibilities. And it adds some time creep towards having a complete 8 hour academic day plus 35 minute lunches for students. When you factor the time before school teachers are required to be on campus, time after school teachers are required on campus and the expanded school day, you are close to the “ideal” working hours for teachers so that administrators feel better about spending 10-12 hour days at the school. Do we deserve better? Probably not as the EPISD voters elected the Board, parents sit on the sidelines, and students squat in classes. Teachers’ Organizations have been neutered in the eyes of the administration, so they won’t be of much help.
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The Crown Prince of Apologetics? Sweet! If presenting an alternative viewpoint is in an echo chamber is considered being an apologist, then so be it. Believe what you will.
However, before you get all bent, reread the above angry screeds, and then consider the following:
Here were the various proposals that were presented to the public and posted online:
Click to access BellScheduleSurveyInfo.pdf
Here is a summary of a discussion that took place during an open meeting: https://www.episd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModIf correcting uleInstanceID=101&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=1566&PageID=1&GroupByField=&GroupYear=0&GroupMonth=0&Tag=
Here is a piece on KVIA about it: http://www.kvia.com/news/top-stories/episd-proposes-changes-to-start-of-school-day/265844151
Here is the KISS FM story: http://kisselpaso.com/episd-considers-changes-to-start-of-school-day/
Here is KFOX story: http://kfoxtv.com/news/local/episd-discusses-possible-change-in-school-start-times
Here is a piece on parental input into the discussion: http://kfoxtv.com/news/local/episd-gets-input-from-parents-on-later-start-times-for-students
Here is what the District of Innovation and Daily schedule meant: http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/education/episd/2016/03/15/episd-outlines-district-innovation-plan/81828816/
Again, as I said with Dan Wever’s post about the legal fees, simply posting a number (or in this case a time) without a context or comparison is meaningless.
Regards Y’all!
The Crown Prince!
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Isn’t that funny. I participated in the survey (on the EPISD website pursuant to a phone blast from my kids’ school). I discussed the proposals with other parents. I saw/read it the news reports you cited. I read it in the school web pages. I heard my kids complain, LOUDLY, about the long school day. And since I’m a ” helicopter” who stays informed about my children’s education and well-being I also snoop in in their social media. I read how kids were organizing a “protest petition.” Haha! Point being, while you angry, bitter sides get worked up about insignificant nonsense, parents and taxpayers with genuine concerns stay informed and involved in the things that matter like forcing school departments to cut their budgets in order to give our teachers a miserable raise while the superintendent gets a whopping $45k peek from his high luxury traveling companion/enabler in their quest to fulfill her higher political power ambitions. Or the embarrassment of a TX state legislature more worries about where kids pee than finding our poor schools. Those are the priorities of sane, hardworking parents and taxpayers, maybe not yours and those of the bitter groupies of this blog.
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I see that they added 10 minutes to the end of each day.Is that a bad thing?
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Crown Prince, if this echo chamber is so empty, why do you keep coming back?
Someone of your intellect and insight surely has much better venues to share your keen insights on education and humanity. As dimwitted followers of Brutus, we are easily entertained by Dan Wever’s posts of simple numbers and Old Gringo’s snowflake references. Dumb, old, angry Republicans … all of us. We don’t know any better. Don’t let us hold you back.
The world needs you. Give our children free IPads and internet service. You clearly know better.
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I realize I’ll open a firestorm here, but why exactly is it that parents need to drive kids to school when we a funding a school bus system?
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Back to the topic.
So this change is all about health and well-being, “EPISD Board of Trustees member Susie Byrd says the move is intended to to improve the health and well-being of older students.
“[The proposed changes] would give our teenagers in middle school some additional sleep time,” Byrd told Mike and Tricia in a phone interview. “If you look at all the research, [a later start time] would result in a better outcome for those students.”
Byrd is referring to numerous studies that most teens don’t get enough sleep and that starting school later corresponds with teen sleep needs, and improves health and school performance.” (http://kisselpaso.com/episd-considers-changes-to-start-of-school-day/)
Copied from one of Tim’s quoted websites (Tim–update your post–some are wrong). While I can agree we all need more sleep, this small change can’t meet that need. I imagine block schedule and 8 verses 7 classes a day plays into this, although not all schools run the same schedule (Coronado has always had a longer day).
I must admit that the info shown by Tim is thin for such a major change and not all of his references pass muster, but they do look impressive. However, I do not feel comfortable with any of these explanations for a longer school day or why being a District of Innovation is good for our children.
Go here for really interesting info, especially regarding teacher pay and how they are fired.
http://www.nctq.org/districtPolicy/contractDatabase/districtReport.do?id=76
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Exactly how is it for the health and well-being of high school students? The start time is the same and ten minutes will be added to the end of the school day.
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I always thought the different times was about traffic ? whats wrong with early or even earlier ?
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Funny thing, the overwhelming majority voted to keep the current schedule yet, the board decided to add 10 more minutes of instruction at all levels. This decision was made by Taryn Bailey. So because of one person, now all kids must stay 10 more minutes in school. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it is arbitrary. That is the part that annoys me.
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You’re annoyed by 10 extra minutes of education??? I’m annoyed by close minded people like you. 10 extra minutes is not nearly enough. We should be cursing her for not making it 20 or 30 minutes more!
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Well Hell! Why don’t we just have them set up dormitories and have the little suckers just sleep at school and then you can have them all day and all night and then do what the hospitals do! Wake them up every fifteen minutes during the night to check their education drip and vital signs like test scores! It’s not how much time you add because you can probably go two or three more hours or more a day! It’s what you do with the time you got. So what extra edge did that little ten minutes get you? That’s what annoys me! You can’t specifically say what those ten minutes did for you! It’s just the popular fad like silver bullet right now. Time is no substitute for good teaching.
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