A letter circulated by the Fireside School last Friday has listed incorrect dismissal times according to Darrell Couture, associate superintendant for business and operations for Rocky View Schools (RVS).
A letter circulated by the Fireside School last Friday has listed incorrect dismissal times according to Darrell Couture, associate superintendant for business and operations for Rocky View Schools (RVS).
Friends of Fireside School highlighted a letter issued by the new K-8 school's principal Thomas Elbel on their Facebook page this week, which listed pick-up times as “2:45 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 12:45 p.m. on Fridays. ”
A social media thread on the society's Facebook page offered mixed commentaries, mostly negative. Parents expressed concern over how such an early dismissal time on Fridays would impact parents' work schedules and the quality of their children's education, including overall instruction hours.
“The times are still being reviewed and will be available on our website, ” said Couture.
Couture said dismissal times will have to co-ordinate with other Cochrane RVS schools. Marrying bus times offers significant cost savings for the board. The average school bus costs $50,000 each year, he said. Doubling up bus runs means savings of around half this amount.
Couture said he is uncertain where Elbel's information on the dismissal times came from.
Glenbow Elementary School, K-5, begins school daily at 8:05 a.m. and lets out at 2:25 p.m.
Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School, K-4 and French Immersion (K-5 and French Immersion next year) starts at 8:55 a.m. and dismisses students at 3:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 1:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Manachaban, currently Grades 5-8 and Mitford, Grades 4-8 middle schools
maintains the same school hours as Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School, as do Cochrane High and Bow Valley High School (both Grade 9-12).
Rancheview School (K-7, opened this past fall) lists its bell times as 8:10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day.
