Schedule Changes Are Bad For Kids

To the Editor:

I am horrified about the time changes for Middle Gate School. What can the Newtown school board have been thinking having young children who are up early and ready to go in the morning, waiting around for over an hour for their bus. They will get so wound up in the morning and then will not be home until almost dark for at least two months of the year.

I work full-time, thankfully from my home office, but it is much more difficult to find morning care than afternoon. What are the parents going to do that have to go to the office in the morning? This is a hideous change that I do not think was well thought out. Middle school children will have to be at their bus stops before sunrise, and Middle Gate students will be so tired in the afternoon I can’t imagine how they will do their work well.

The new schedule also completely eliminates the possibility for Middle Gate children to participate in any after-school activities or getting together with friends after school. We will have to tell our children that there will be no more karate, baseball, or swimming classes –– but other elementary school children in town will be able to attend those activities. It’s not fair to eliminate these opportunities for several schools!

I hope that the parents and officials in town take a greater look at this with child development professionals before this new schedule is locked in for the coming year. It just doesnt make sense.

Keep us posted Newtown Bee –– we urgently need to get more than just a few school administrative officials juggling schedules on a spreadsheet involved in this decision; it’s not going to be good for our children.

Best Regards,

Ann Ziluck

61 Aunt Park Lane, Newtown    July 1, 2003