Potential Start Times At Falls Church Schools Shared For Feedback

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Community feedback is being collected on potential new start times for Falls Church City Public Schools. If approved, the school district says the new start times wouldn't start until the 2024-2025 school year. The only exception would be Jessie Thackrey Preschool, where changes would start this upcoming school year.

The School Board is considering start time changes due to research suggesting high school students are not getting enough sleep with early starts, which may impact health and academic performance.

If the changes are approved, Jessie Thackrey Preschool would start and end 20 minutes earlier, from 7:55 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and Meridian High School would start and end 25 minutes later, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. The secondary campus late bus would run 25 minutes later at 5 p.m.

For Mt. Daniel Elementary, FCCPS must account for an agreement with Fairfax County that the school not start before 8:50 a.m. and must end by 4 p.m. Under the proposal, Mt. Daniel Elementary and Oak Street Elementary times would shift to 10 minutes later — 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

In a previous School Board discussion, potential conflicts affecting the schedules of students, staff and families were discussed. A few key concerns include student athletes and coaches who teach missing one instructional block, staff not being available for later after-school activities, and families and staff's schedules and child care needs.

The community is invited to share feedback with the School Board by March 31 by emailing schoolboard@fccps.org.