Open Letter from 250-Plus Parents in Support of BOE Budget

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Dear Board of Finance and Town Council members,

We write to express our support for the Board of Education budget, in its entirety, including the funding to change school start times. Most of us moved to New Canaan for the quality of our schools and the educational experiences for our children. The recent town survey confirmed this.

In order to maintain our quality of schools, to stay competitive and to continue to attract new residents, we must continually innovate and improve our educational offerings. We believe that the Board of Education budget balances excellence with efficiency to offer an incredible educational experience for our children that will continue to attract others to our town.

One of the most important areas to fund next year is the change to school start times to comply with the 2014 guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is a pressing health issue and the funding for it should be looked at through that lens. The district’s budget is already lean—the cost to allow children to get sufficient sleep every night should be funded in addition to the established cost to operate our high-quality district.

Our Administration and Board of Education have been carefully evaluating this change for three years with an almost unanimous vote from the BOE to include funding in this budget. They have met with stakeholders and provided numerous opportunities for public feedback. Any decision that changes the start and end times for all schools will not make everyone happy—change in a community is very difficult. However, the Administration’s proposal for changing school start times beginning in Fall 2020 is the right thing for New Canaan to do.

While changing start times will be new for our town, it is not new around the country or in Fairfield County; four nearby towns have already changed or plan to change school start times for next year in order to meet medical guidelines: Wilton, Greenwich, Westport and Norwalk. We applaud the administration for balancing the needs of all stakeholders to create a cost-effective proposal that establishes developmentally appropriate start times for K-12.

We strongly urge you to approve the Board of Education budget in its entirety.

Respectfully,

Lise Arnold 
Jodie and Steve Azzopardi
Sheila and Arvind Bajaj
Kathy and Jim Bakal 
Megan Baroni 
Duke and Gaby Beecher
Amanda and Craig Bench
Shekaiba Bennett 
Meredith Bergman 
Kimberly Birmingham 
Mary K. and David Blanc 
Kirsten and Tim Bossin
Kristie and Eben Breed 
Susan Brill
Alexis C. and Jeffrey J. Brooks, M.D.
Elichia Brown 
Amy and Paul Cardillo
Laurel and Brian Carlson 
Maria Caruso 
Laura Catherwood
Michelle and Chris Cereghino
Carrie and Dan Chandra
Monica and Charles Chimera
Maureen Chiodo 
John and Susan Clarke 
Jessica and Justin Connolly
Alma and Faustino Cortina 
Cristen and Kevin Cottrell
Sheri Cronk 
Jill and Tom Crystal
State Representative Lucy Dathan
Alana and Nick DiMuzio
Carolyn Vermeer and Peter Ditlevsen 
Dawn Norris Doak and Jim Doak
Kristin Dolan 
Craig Donovan
Annie and Matt Drapkin
Ally and Dirk Dunlap
Ryanne Easley
Irene Hendricks and Steve Eno
Rebecca and Greg Ethridge
Jenn and Jeff Fittipaldi
Martha Harper and Kevin Fitzgibbons 
Jaime and Pat Fitzpatrick
Marnie and Bill Flynn
Kim and Kevin Frisch 
Adrienne Fulk 
Kara and Rob Gilliam
Kelly and Sean Gray 
Elizabeth A. DiRusso and Mark D. Grenauer 
Kristen Grzymski
Lisa and Ulrich Hannich 
Stacey Harmon 
Melissa Harold 
Aurelia and Brandon Heagle
Karen Willett and Ben Hoffstein
Riitta Holtappels 
Destiny Ikard 
Felicia Jamin 
Martina and Perry Kaiser 
Christa and Misha Kenin
Elizabeth and Kyle Keogh
Jessica and Tim Knowles
Ania Komisarek 
Janie and Jason Konidaris
Ann Kozar 
Rachel and Graham Lampen
Carrie Laska 
Jenn and Chris LaSusa
Kelly and Brian Lavigne 
Mimi and Patrick Leahy 
Janet and Ryan Lee 
Ana Leeming 
Jackie Lenihan 
Kristin Burkhart and Ed Levene 
Sarah Lohmann 
Denise and Charles Luccarelli 
Gina Pacheco and Carlos Madrazo 
Amedee Maggard 
Maria and Marc Magliacano
Tracey Masella, LCSW 
Tamara and Robert A. McFadden 
Marlo McGloin 
Ann McMahon 
Jenny Mehta
Jamie and Eric Mohamad
Heather and Rob Moore
Danielle and Scott Morgan
Elaine Morganelli, M.D.
Cat and Bill Mountford 
Stacy and Christian Murphy
Cecilia and John F. Murray 
Keely and Chris Norton 
Sarah and Dan O’Keefe
Cathy and Rob Panagrossi 
Julie and Kimon Passios 
Bonny and Todd Plosker
Micaela Porta 
Samantha and Adrian Pound
Laura and Joe Prior
Tania and Guy Prochilo
Jul and Neron Qela 
Anne-Marie and Paul Queally 
Debbie and Doug Raymond
Michelle and Jared Remington 
Michelle and Rich Riley 
Susan and Eric Roddy
Renee and Scott Roen
Cathy and Brian Rogers
Barbara Rosen 
Christine and Guy Ross 
Agatha and Chris Row 
Barbara and David Rucci
Jen and Rich Russey 
Ipek Kaya-Savasoglu 
Lisa and Sean Sawyer 
Anne and Karl Schimmeck
Patty and Tom Severance 
Sara and Krishn Sharma, M.D.
Amy and Clay Shumway 
Danielle and Mike Sieckhaus
Annemarie and Michael Simko 
Abigail and Scott Skidmore 
Michele and Rob Sloan 
Guy and Sue Smith 
Shannon and Andy Smith 
Beth and Joshua Snyder 
Mary and Steve Sommers
Megan and Pat Stanley
Lauren and Garrick Stannard
Megan and Jim Steele
Julia and Doug Stewart 
Devon Suozzi, LCSW Psychotherapist
Jill and Gary Swarni
Jill and Tom Telesco
Eileen and James Thomas
Mary and Ned Truslow 
Lindsay Tucker
Ulrika and Alex Veroude 
Dr. Elisa and Ed Vincent 
Anne and Jim Wagner
Jennifer Margaret Walther and Peter Brian Walther 
Tanaz Warren
Amy Werner
Tia and Charlie Whinery
Angela Wilson, RN, APRN
Megan and Craig Wunderlich 
Stephanie and John Zaccario
Allison and Eric Zinczenko

4 thoughts on “Open Letter from 250-Plus Parents in Support of BOE Budget

  1. As I have stated in the past. I support efforts to get High Schoolers more time. However, not by risking the futures of our youngest learners who are trying to get their footing in school and the world. This letter mentions the BOE’s consideration of the town and stakeholders, but according to those surveys this is not what the town wants. This letter also mentions the fact that surrounding towns have moved HS start times. But neglects to mention that NONE have done so by moving their elementary school start times to the earliest in all of Ct and an average of over an hour earlier than other top schools. This letter does not seem to even acknowledge these facts or the potential harm it could cause our educational system for years to come.
    However, I remain confused about the Scenario B which was proposed by the BOE and offered as a potential alternative. Parents did take a survey on that option and somehow it is no longer being discussed. It would give our youngest a better chance to build a foundation for learning and affect far fewer students. I hope it was not offered as an option without remotely vetting it’s feasibility or viability.

  2. I do not support the proposed effort in change of start time, as it is currently planned, with our elementary schools bearing the brunt of the change. The change does not support the sleep needs across the lifespan, from school start to high school graduation, and comes at a significant year to year cost in our town’s budget that we cannot afford.

    What I do support is a referendum vote of the issue among the town’s registered voters. This is the way to have a final count of support of the majority of residents. What works for the majority of New Canaan families? The vote would answer this question.

    It is never too late to admit that this has not come together in a feasible way. Our budget doesn’t support it. Our young families, by and large, don’t support it. The financial state of Connecticut doesn’t support it. Our transportation and childcare/aftercare infrastructure here in New Canaan don’t support it.

    That doesn’t negate the importance of adolescent sleep. What would be wise is to admit: Not this plan, not at this time – we can do better. I would implore the BOE, BOF, Town Council, and all residents to not accept this effort as it stands. Do not accept a plan of desperation that marginalizes most students and families for the majority of their years in the NCPS system.

  3. Laura – I agree 100%. Well said. I sincerely hope these comments, articles, letters and efforts are recognized and seriously taken into consideration before this goes any further!

  4. As we contemplate daylight savings time this weekend its a reminder that the perceived benefits of proposed later high school start time are potentially negated by the annual seasonal time changes. Since the Board of Education has cited science as justification for the change, its fair to also cite science as a counter argument to the idea. Research shows that daylight savings time alters sleep habits and the bodies circadian rhythm. The move forward of spring is particularly hard on the bodies internal time clock. Has the BOE considered the possibility that the time change could further compound the adjustment issue for all students?

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