DISTRICT REVAMPS SCHEDULES TO SAVE ON FUEL.

Byline: JOHN SENA

SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Students in middle and high schools to get more time to snooze

Schedules: Research shows later start boosts kids' performance

High school students in the Santa Fe Public Schools can rest easy, literally.

They won't have to show up for school at 7:30 a.m., as was suggested. Instead, they'll actually have 10 extra minutes, with school starting at 8:50 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m.

Superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez announced the new schedule at a school board meeting Tuesday.

As part of the changes, elementary schools will start at 7:50 a.m. and end at 2:50 p.m., with dismissal at 12:30 p.m. on Fridays. Pinon Elementary will be the lone exception, with school starting at

8 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m., and Friday dismissal at 1:15 p.m. Pinon has a later leave time because it has a large enrollment and needs extra time for lunch.

Middle schools will start 10 minutes earlier than last year, 8:20 a.m., and will release at 3:25 p.m.

The new schedules are part of an effort to save on fuel as rising costs have started to impact schools across the state.

District officials said the state has budgeted about 33 cents per mile for fuel, but costs are closer to 44 cents per mile.

The changes will mean the district will need fewer bus routes and fewer buses, and will reduce traffic congestion by staggering pickup and drop-off times, officials said. They are expected to save the district $150,000 per year if fuel prices remain steady, Gutierrez said.

District officials, with the input of parents, explored several ways to change the schedule, two of which would have had high school starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m., with dismissal at

1:15 p.m. Fridays. Classes had been starting at 8:40 a.m.

Those options, despite saving the district between $250,000 and $300,000, were frowned upon by parents and the local teachers' union.

Parents argued that earlier start times would lead to more tardiness, and early dismissal on Fridays could result in more students absent on those days.

The strongest argument, perhaps, was that research shows adolescents perform better when they start school later.

The board did not have to take action on the changes, but all board members said they were glad Gutierrez and her staff made the changes and were happy with the results.

Gutierrez also said she is going to form a task force to explore other ways to save money on transportation costs. She mentioned limiting the number of out-of-town field trips schools take, schools doubling up on trips and even moving to a four-day school week as some of the options that might be considered.

Contact John Sena at 986-3079 or [e-mail].