UPDATE 6/15/2017:

The Council voted to approve the funding for a two-tier system. Here is a Seattle Times write-up on the vote: With Grant, Seattle Schools to Change Start Times

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Genesee Hill Families!

We need you to advocate on behalf of Genesee Hill families and the community as a whole to support the City and Seattle Public Schools in funding a switch to two-tier start and ends times starting next year.

We need you to take action NOW because the City and the School Board are voting on this Wednesday, June 14th, which could either confirm the switch – or – lock us into three-tiers moving forward. We know at least two council members oppose the proposal and the School District has made it clear that if the Council does not approve the funding next week, they will revert back to a three-tiered schedule for the 2017-18 school year.

Currently, all students in Seattle Public Schools fall into one of three-tiers for start & end times next year:

• Tier 1: Elementary Schools (including Genesee Hill) start at 7:45 and end at 2:15;
• Tier 2: Middle and High Schools start at 8:35 and end at 3:25; and
• Tier 3: Select K-8 and some Elementary Schools from start at 9:25 and end at 3:55.

We have the opportunity to remove this 3rd tier and re-align start and end times to the following schedule if we can compel the City of Seattle and Seattle School Board to provide one-time funding, allowing for only two-tiers moving forward:

• Tier 1: Elementary Schools would start at 8:00 and end at 2:30
• Tier 2: Middle & High Schools would start at 9:00 and end at 3:50

These time frames are supported and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – most importantly, they just make sense! Many K-8 and select elementary school parents have expressed concerned about their young children coming home from school after dark during the fall and winter months.

Please ACT NOW and send the following message to the Seattle City Council and School Board. For greater impact, please personalize with your own spin and subject line. If you have been negatively impacted by the change to three-tiers, please include a note as to what that impact has had on your child and family. (Email addresses are listed below.)

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Dear Seattle City Council and Seattle School Board,

As a parent of Elementary-aged students attending Genesee Hill Elementary school, I ask that you fund the one-time cost of transitioning student start & end times to two-tiers for the 2017-2018 school year and beyond. This transition is in the best interest for all students of Seattle Public Schools.

Thank you,

Genesee Hill Elementary School Parent

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EMAILS
spsdirectors@seattleschools.org
ltherndon@seattleschools.org
bruce.harrell@seattle.gov
lisa.herbold@seattle.gov
rob.johnson@seattle.gov
debora.juarez@seattle.gov
mike.obrien@seattle.gov
sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov
tim.burgess@seattle.gov
lorena.gonzalez@seattle.gov
leslie.harris@seattleschools.org