ThisWeek Community Newspapers Dublin Villager
Page A4
February 24, 2011
Commentary & opinion
* Apply by April 1, 2011 to receive a $250 tuition discount for students enrolling in an Associate or Bachelor of Arts degree program.
Superintendent’s column
District will continue to tweak start-time policies and options Thanks to all who have expressed support for the recently announced 2011-12 school start times. I am aware change can be difficult and has an impact on many people. The district is currently processing the feedback we are receiving and work is under way to address some concerns raised by working elementary parents. We are currently working with our elementary principals in examining several options to provide parents and students with some additional before-school opportunities in 2011-12. We are examining a variety of programming options which could start in the 8:45 -9 a.m. range and would provide working elementary parents with some flexibility on the front end of their school days. The possible options being studied include: • Expansion of the district’s breakfast program • Programs in our gymnasiums • Enrichment and remediation programs • Keyboarding • Chess Clubs • Computer labs • Offerings provided by Dublin Latchkey While we try to meet our districtwide goals of providing students with more sleep per current best practices and research, we are also mindful of individual situations and possible hardships with the new start times. Additional information will be made available as soon as some concepts are finalized. Please be assured we are working to be re-
sponsive to those who have expressed concerns. As we move through 2011-12, we DAVID will be undertaking an inAXNER depth evaluation of the new times and how they are working for our students, parents, and staff. The later start times are a result of the work of the School Reform Task Force. The task force consisted of parents, teachers, staff, students, administrators, representatives from the Dublin Educators Association, Dublin Latchkey and the district’s transportation department. The group began to meet in June 2009 and worked for 16 months. The task force spent countless hours examining the start times of our neighboring districts and districts around the country. They also spent a great deal of time examining the latest research on optimal school start times. The group concluded later start times, especially at the high school level, would be beneficial for our students. Our high-school drivers will no longer have to travel to school in the dark. The later time will help keep them safer on the roads. The same body of research indicated middle school students would also benefit from a later school start time. The research identified by the task force indicates later start times allow teens to better control their emotions, have better
peer relationships, avoid depression, lessen the likelihood of drug use, have fewer tardies and even lower suicide rates. There are also some academic benefits to later start times. The research indicates students who get more sleep perform better academically. I would like to thank the more than 5,000 parents, students and staff members who participated in community surveys on this topic during 2010. The majority of respondents, across the board, indicated later start times would improve student learning. Clearly, we are interested in doing anything we can to improve the learning environment for our students. The sequence of when each level begins remains as it is now. High school comes to school first, middle school second, then elementary, as it is now. The great majority of survey respondents did not favor an earlier start time for elementary school. I am also pleased to report we are able to undertake this change without any additional buses or bus drivers, and without putting middle school and high school students on the same buses. Extracurricular activities will not be adversely impacted by the change in start times. Additionally, the schedules of middle school students who take high school level courses, or elementary school students who travel to middle schools for strings, will not be disrupted. As always, thank you for your support of our district. David Axner is the superintendent of Dublin City Schools.
Guest column
Important tips if you spot a coyote Resident sightings and phone found at http://dublin.oh.us/naÌME IGLIORE calls concerning coyotes often inture/wildlife/coyotes.php. crease this time of year. Additional information about Mìme Migliore is the city of Dublin During winter months, coyotes are more easily seen because of coyotes and other wildlife can be nature education coordinator. the lack of vegetation and harsher conditions, which can force them to hunt during daylight hours. Coyotes evoke different feelings including fear and excitement, depending on the audience. They do attack domestic animals on occasion, including dogs and cats, because they often see pets as a threat to their offspring, territory or food source. Attacks on humans are rare. According to Dr. Stan Gehrt, a leading coyote researcher from The Ohio State University, 142 attacks have been recorded throughout North America. Around one-third of these attacks Community involved coyotes that were being Newspapers fed, at times inadvertently, by humans. There are several tips you can ThisWeek is printed on recycled paper. use to deter coyotes, including Scott Hummel Lee Cochran Diana Carilli yelling, waving arms, throwing Community Editor Sports Editor Independent Sales Contractor shummel@thisweeknews.com lcochran@thisweeknews.com (614) 798-0740 items in the direction of an ani- Adam Cairns Sandy Wallace News Editor Photographer mal, spraying water from a hose, Chief swallace@thisweeknews.com acairns@thisweeknews.com and making loud noises. Local Office: 7801 N. Central Dr., Lewis Center, OH 43035 Never leave before a coyote and Editorial Phone: (740) 888-6100 E-mail: editorial@thisweeknews.com Editorial Fax: (740) 888-6006 Classified Phone: (740) 888-5003 E-mail: classified@thisweeknews.com Classified Fax: (740) 548-8197 keep yards clean and free of easy Customer Service: 1-888-837-4342 if you have any questions about circulation or delivery. meals for wildlife, including un- Stephen Zonars Ben Cason Vice President, Executive Editor General Manager picked fruits and vegetables, unbcason@thisweeknews.com Corporate Office: P.O. Box 608, Lewis Center, Ohio, 43035, (740) 888-6100 clean recyclables and uneaten bird Editorial Office: P.O. Box 608, Lewis Center, Ohio, 43035, (740) 888-6100 food. Advertising Office: P.O. Box 608, Lewis Center, Ohio, 43035, (740) 888-6000, fax (740) 888-6001 When walking pets, carry pepper spray, vinegar in a squirt bottle or a long stick to deter a coyis published each Thursday by Consumers News Services, Inc., a subsidiary of the Dispatch Printing Company. ote. Also, make sure to keep your ThisWeek A member of the Dublin Area Chamber of Commerce, Suburban Newspapers of America and the Association of Free Community Newspet in close proximity to you, papers. Consumers News Services, Inc. reserves the right to reject, cancel or edit any advertisement at any time. we make a substantive error in news coverage, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call the local office news preferably on a leash no longer Ifnumber that appears in this box. CNS is not responsible for unsolicited photographs, manuscripts, press releases, etc. than six feet.
M
M
ThisWeek
Visit the Dublin Villager online at www.ThisWeekNews.com
Knees not what they used to be? Learn about the causes of knee pain and your options at a free seminar. Presented by: Paul Melaragno, MD March 3, 2011 6:00 - 8:00 pm Griswold Center 777 High St., Worthington, OH 43085 To register, please call 1-614-508-6000 PATIENT EDUCATION SERIES