Still wondering what is going to happen to school start times in Barrington?

Well, tonight's meeting of the school committee is likely to shed some light on the subject. The committee is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget, which will either include additional money for transportation or it won't. 

Said Barrington School Committee Chairwoman Kate Brody: "We are not voting on the school start time initiative at tonight's meeting. We will however have a discussion and vote on the proposed FY18 operating budget. The start time initiative will be reflected in that budget as proposed by administration."

Debate over changing school start time heats up.

Additional transportation money — approximately $419,000 — would denote a shift to the 8:30 a.m. start times at the high school and middle school. The 8:30 a.m. start time initiative requires more buses, which in turn will cost taxpayers more money. 

No change, or a minimal change, in school transportation funding would likely mean a shift to the 8:15 a.m. start times at the high school and middle school. The 8:15 start time initiative is the district's "cost neutral option."

"The proposed 8:15 am option allows for the potential of a reduction in transportation costs and to look at more optimal times for after-school activities," stated a recent press release from the school district. "A fifteen-minute change could allow for earlier swim practices at the Y, close to our present schedule, and preserve varsity and JV teams to travel together to competitions."

At a recent school committee meeting, Ms. Brody shared her feelings about the start time situation. Ms. Brody said much had changed since the school committee first voted to move start times to 8:30 a.m. more than a year ago. She mentioned an unexpected increase in medical premiums this year and the loss of state aid to Barrington schools. 

Ms. Brody said the committee had not been looking at making a 1 percent increase to the budget that it likely could not sustain year after year. The chairwoman said she did not want to sacrifice the benefits of the start time change, but needed to recognize that "the landscape has changed."