September 27, 2008 02:27 pm
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Dear Editor,
As the spokesperson for Save Kentucky Summers, I applaud the efforts of Rep. Johnnny Bell, D-Glasgow, for legislation lengthening the school day. This bill will give districts the flexibility to adjust their calendars by adding minutes to the school day thus allowing districts to start later in August, something that 88 percent of Kentucky families want. We support Bell’s bill but also support a uniform late August start date for Kentucky public schools. How we arrive at the end result of having our summers back is not the issue.
To clarify the Times’ description of Bell and Matthews, “the grass has grown high enough to reach them,” I will say this: Our grass roots group has thousands of supporters. We have groups of parents in Lexington, Louisville, Paducah, Somerset and Bowling Green and we continue to grow and move this issue forward to eventual legislation.
The purpose of a grass roots movement is to raise the awareness of an issue to the point that it becomes important for legislators to take action on behalf of their constituents. Bell proposing legislation is a success we welcome. As parents, we do not have the resources of the KEA, KSBA and other education associations.
The countless reasons for a late August or post-Labor Day start date are compelling. With the enormous rise in fuel costs severely affecting school budgets, one would think this one reason for starting later is a no- brainer. The argument has been made that it makes no difference when school starts, because janitors and office staff are in the schools during the summer. Data obtained from Jefferson County Public Schools shows the district spent $290,111 more to cool the schools during its August 2007 billing cycle than during the May 2007 cycle.
It would be interesting to see the utility usage of South Green Elementary for two weeks in August. Compare the costs of cooling the building with a couple of janitors with a full–capacity school. Consider the difference in cooling the building with the heat generated by 450 active kids, 25 per classroom, 50-plus office staff, 50 computer terminals running, cafeteria stoves and ovens cooking lunches, opening and closing freezers, refrigerators, gym doors and continually opening the exit doors throughout the day.
This paints a different picture.
Monica Froedge
Save Kentucky Summers
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