Board Meeting Comments

I find it remarkable that this is the issue that the board chooses to spend time and energy on, when they haven't addressed the need to fix the boundaries of their election districts before this fall's election.

The Magnet PR team’s recent glossy videos stage preexisting or one-off activities to create a narrative of grant success, but these productions disrupt schools. The evaluator’s limited visits are unlikely to capture real impact, raising concerns about the effective use of public funds. They will not be able to give meaningful feedback if everything is staged. With minimal stakeholder engagement, staged videos, and limited evaluator oversight, the Magnet department is creating a false narrative of grant success while most resources fail to meaningfully reach students. In addition it’s important to look what has happened to the last recipients of the MSAP big grant. Now that the money is gone, it appears they’re closing up shop and restructuring both Villa del Rey Elementary and Park Forest as EBR Schools was unable to return the investment to the students. Not only is much of the special programming gone, but neither of the schools are high-performing as was the goal. Seems risky

Later school start times for middle and high schools could be beneficial if implemented in a vacuum. However, it will not be. Please keep in mind: -Parents whose jobs will not allow schedule changes. -The high number of workplaces in Baton Rouge where employees live in surrounding parishes that currently have similar start times to EBR. If an EBR parent works primarily with people who are not also EBR parents, it may be impractical/impossible for the EBR parent to change their schedule in a way that allows for their workplace responsibilities. -The demand for morning Extended Day care, particularly for middle school students, and associated costs and logistics. -The effect on extracurricular activities. -The fact that traffic is significantly heavier in EBR after the current morning drop-off hours have already ended, and the effect of adding school traffic to already-heavy work traffic. Anything that increases household stress is also detrimental to the well-being of children and should be considered with much thought and care. Currently, it seems that this situation would only truly benefit children whose families have the ability to alter their existing schedules and patterns of family life. This issue needs thorough study and solutions for potential problems before potential implementation.

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed agenda item that would authorize the Superintendent to adjust school start times over the next three years. Later dismissal times would leave students with very limited time to complete homework and study effectively. Adequate time for academic work outside the classroom is essential for student success, and pushing schedules later into the evening risks negatively impacting both academic performance and overall well-being. I strongly oppose any adjustment that would result in later dismissal times for students. Such changes would create significant challenges for those who participate in sports and other extracurricular activities. There has not been adequate communication with the community regarding the long-term rollout of these proposed changes. Decisions of this magnitude require clear, transparent, and consistent engagement with families, students, and stakeholders, which has not been sufficiently demonstrated.

I've been following the Phase 1 results, and since they have been quite encouraging, it feels like the right time to think about adding more schools this year. I’d really love to see a larger campus like Baton Rouge High included in that next group. Since it’s a big school, seeing how the new start times play out there would give us all some really helpful insights before the full launch. It’d also be a great way for the district to get a better look at the logistics for large student bodies, which will help to ensure a smooth transition for all of our teachers and families.

I am concerned about granting the superintendent a three-year blank check to change school start times, as outlined in the documents uploaded for this meeting.While I understand the desire to address important operational decisions such as start times, I strongly urge you to reconsider this proposal based on the district’s track record with community engagement. The documents mention that community engagement will be required in this process, but we must ask: What kind of engagement has the district truly achieved in the past? Unfortunately, the district has not demonstrated a strong history of meaningful, inclusive, or effective engagement with the community. More often than not, we see large meetings where district staff outnumber actual community members—meetings that feel more like a checkbox exercise than a genuine opportunity for open, two-way dialogue. These are not the kinds of interactions that build trust or gater feedback.Vote no until EBR Schools staff has the skills.

The proposed action is "Consideration of a request to authorize the Superintendent to adjust school start times for district operated schools over the next three years." Does approval indicate giving blanket authorization to the Superintendent to adjust times, whether earlier or later, with no oversight? Or is it simply indicating that the board has agreed to consider the request? The wording of motions should matter. When it doesn't, you get board members trying to infer that past actions meant something contradictory to the approved minutes. The public deserves better, and giving the Superintendent three years of blanket authority is bad policy. Adjust start times of course, but in full view of the board and public.

I oppose any restructuring that grants the superintendent unilateral authority to change school times. I do not oppose our superintendent who is doing a great job. My concern is that I oppose unchecked power without vetting and voting by our elected school board members. Restructuring that grants ANY superintendent unilateral authority over school schedules removes essential checks and balances that protect students, staff, and families. More input from all stakeholders. More time. More data points. More input. No changes just yet. Hear more from the staff and community, but do not change the governance. Unilateral authority contradicts good governance and undermines the public's right to hold elected officials accountable. For these reasons, I cannot support this item and pray that you DO NOT as well. Expanding the authority outside of the bounds of elected terms for any superintendent and many school board members is not democratic, not accountable, and not acceptable.

As a junior in high school, I don’t agree with changing the start time. I understand the goal is to improve student learning and attendance, but I don’t think it will have that effect. Many parents leave for work early, so some students may struggle to get to school, especially if they live far away or rely on bus transfers that still require waking up early. In addition, many students have jobs, and a later dismissal could make it harder to work. Starting school later also won’t necessarily stop students from staying up late and feeling tired. Overall, there are many factors that should be carefully considered before making this change.

I agree with giving the Superintendent permission to move forward in planning for potential changes in school start times. Research suggests that changes in start times assist teens. Research doesn't show positive affects on elementary school children or students with disabilities. Please keep the community and stakeholders involved in the process. De-identified raw data and patterns of these changes should be displayed on your new Tableau Dashboard.

To the superintendent, Mr Lamont Cole, I would like to say as a junior in highschool I strongly disagree with the change to start time. There are a few points I would like to make. I go to Belaire Magnet Highschool. I'm just getting off of work and leaving a comment because I could not attend the meetings. I don't understand the decision. We've been going to school at this designated time forever now. The change would misalign our schedules, how our bodies operate AND function. It's a habit now, waking up early, planning around our school schedule. This sudden and drastic change will affect us not only physically but emotionally too. Motivation will drop. If I'm going to school at 9 what's the point of even going? I'm going to want to sleep in. Can we consider this factor? Additionally, us Juniors, Seniors, and even Sophomores have jobs. Getting out of school at 2:25 is ideal for me because I go to work for 3:30 and my job closes at 8. My hours and money will be cut (1).

(2) DRASTICALLY. Not only affecting me but my manager too, who does our schedules. Furthermore, what about the children whose siblings are dependent on them? At this rate we'll be releasing later than elementary and middle schools. ONE EXAMPLE my school BELAIRE MAGNET is right next to La Belaire. Some kids need to get their siblings after school, which won't be possible if the times are changed. This is not benefiting us at all. What about sports? Clubs? extracurriculars? These kids won't get home until 8-9. Practices extend anywhere from 2-5 hours after school. We get out later these times will also be pushed back. Early release won't even be early anymore. It'll be around the time we'd usually get out of school, if even that. I'm advocating for me and multiple other students. This time change CANNOT happen.

Dear EBR school board, my name is Angie Bonilla. I 100% disagree with this update. I have plenty of reasons as to why I disagree. For one, it will not motivate any kid what so ever to show up on time to school. Yes i have a few tardies and absences but my reasons are family personal and i do not wish to go into details about it. I have a good GPA and my grades are good. Never been off Honor roll since elementary. I always make up my work if missed on a day i was absent by using my days off of work as make up days. As a daughter of a single immigrant parent, I have a job and so does my mother. It is difficult for her to find a job because of ICE. I do not wish to speak where i work but I do wish to speak on my behalf that I help my mother pay bills. I clock in at 4:40 pm and traffic is always heavy at this time. With the new schedule, it can lead to my mother and i losing not only our jobs but our home and social life. This is why i disagree with this new update. Thank you for your time