District to change elementary start time

By RODNEY MINOR, The Leader-Herald

GLOVERSVILLE - Elementary pupils in the Gloversville Enlarged School District will be able to sleep a little longer this coming school year, because the start of their school day will be pushed back.

Superintendent Robert DeLilli informed the Board of Education at its meeting Monday elementary pupils will start their day sometime after 8:30 a.m., the time classes started last school year.

On Tuesday, DeLilli said the school day for elementary pupils will begin between 8:30 and 9 a.m., although the exact time has not been decided.

"There are some details that need to be worked out still," he said.

The collective bargaining agreement the school district has with its teachers has certain requirements that need to be taken into account before a time can be decided upon, DeLilli said.

The idea was carried over from budget sessions conducted by the school district in April when it was determining how it could trim its budget, he said. It was not highly thought of until the school district's director of operations, Bill Ferguson, began looking into how much money could be saved.

Ferguson could not be reached for comment.

"Tens of thousands of dollars" would be saved every school year by delaying the start of elementary school, DeLilli said.

A later start time will allow the school district to transport its students to classes more

efficiently, DeLilli said. Pushing back the start time means more buses transporting high school and middle school pupils, whose day starts at approximately 7:45 a.m., will be able to drop off the older pupils and head back out to pick up elementary kids.

In addition to reducing the number of buses on the road for morning pickup, DeLilli said, at least one driver will have time to transport special education pupils as far as Albany. That will save the school district some money because it is a service it has had to contract out for in the past, he said.

In light of the potential savings, DeLilli stressed the need for the school district's bus referendum to be passed.

The school district has a proposed bond of $190,000 up for vote Aug. 18 to be used for the purchase of new school buses and transportation vehicles.

Since voters declined to approve the bond in May by a vote of 876-728, school district officials have been urging people to vote in favor of the next referendum because the state will reimburse 90 percent of the cost for vehicles purchased with the bond.

The money could be used to acquire a new van that would help the school district transport its special education pupils outside of its area.

While a large bus could be used to transport the special education pupils who need to go as far as Albany, DeLilli said, it would cost a lot more than it has to.

DeLilli said the elementary pupils will not spend less time in class despite starting later in the day.

At the meeting Monday, a number of board members said they were pleased with the idea.

Board member E. Lynn Brown said reducing transportation costs often has been discussed in the school district, and it was excellent to see the administrative staff "thinking outside of the box."

Board member Harry Wiggins anticipates some negative comments accompanying the later start to the school day, but is not concerned.

"People cannot see past their own little world sometimes," he said.

Rodney Minor covers Gloversville. He can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com.