Lawrence public schools opened on Aug. 11 this year. I think this date is simply too early for several reasons.

In many families, the first few weeks of August offer the best opportunity to leave town for a vacation. For families with a parent who works at Kanas University, the summer school session is not over until the end of July. Other families are committed to various sports that do not finish their season until the end of July or earlly August.

In addition, there are compelling financial reasons to delay the start of the school year. Consider the following facts regarding the USD 497 budget:

• To cool all 25 buildings for the month of August-September 2003 cost $123,610. Compare this to $78,123 for the month of May-June, a difference of $45,486!

The first two weeks of school — starting Aug 13, 2003 — were marked by temperatures over 100 degrees daily. Obviously this resulted in higher air-conditioning costs. Fortunately, the difference will not be as great this year as we have enjoyed an unusually cool summer, but any Kansan can tell you the weather during this summer was an anomaly.

• Laidlaw transportation cost for USD 497 is nearly $17,000/day or $85,000/week. (Please note this figure does not include students that are in the pay-to-ride program.) It is fair to estimate these costs will continue to rise in the years to come due to escalating fuel and insurance expenditures.
• Some schools were still undergoing maintenance work when school started. Cordley students returned to a school with boarded windows! Delaying the start of school may allow more time for summer maintenance projects to be completed.

Given these facts, I propose we schedule fewer days of school and start the school year later in August. This could easily be accomplished by adding more time to the daily schedule to satisfy the state-required number of hours of instruction. Many of our local private schools follow such a schedule and are successful.

I realize the current start date is positioned so that high school students can complete their final exams before winter break, and I fully support that goal. This year winter recess starts Dec. 18 and students return to classes Jan. 4 — a full 11 days of holiday! By shortening winter break by two or three days, and moving some of the fall semester teacher in-service days to the spring semester, a later school start could be accomplished and still allow for finals to be completed before winter break. If needed, additional days could be added at the end of spring semester during the cooler, less costly, days of early June.

Obviously, there is “wiggle room” in the calendar. In previous years I have forwarded this idea to the school board as well as administration and have had little response other than the plan was offered too late in the year (although it was suggested in January).

Another criticism was that the local teachers union would not agree to such a change in their contract. However, I have had many responses from teachers who voiced their support of a later start to the school year and fewer, but longer, contract days. This proposal, however, should not be interpreted as support for the concept of a four-day school week.

Many people are asking why there has been declining enrollment in our district during the past several years. I think one reason is that our school system is not “family friendly.” Early dismissal every Wednesday afternoon, progressively earlier starting dates for the school year, frequent teacher in-service days and the lack of all-day kindergarten create erratic schedules that force many parents to consider alternatives such as private schools. I must admit I am frequently tempted to transfer my children to a private school, but I always return to the idea of the importance of PUBLIC EDUCATION.

As a taxpayer and parent of children attending Lawrence public schools, I would prefer to spend my precious tax dollars on school programs (sports, music, zero hour, languages), and hiring more teachers, rather than on air-conditioning and transportation costs.

The committee of concerned parents is requesting that the school board and administration give advanced notice to parents when upcoming calendar meetings will occur and consider appointing a few parents to serve on the calendar committee. Hopefully, parents and administrators can work together to design a more family-friendly, cost-effective school calendar.

— Patricia Denning is a Lawrence physician and a mom.