A Letter from the Superintendent

Dear DMPS families,

Last month you were given the opportunity to participate in a survey and provide feedback on a proposal to improve school hours at DMPS. Thank you to the thousands of people who took time to respond and share your thoughts on this important consideration. I deeply appreciate the openness people showed for doing the right thing for our students.

This letter is to inform you that we will implement new school hours next August. As a district, this change can make a positive impact on student academics and health by better matching the secondary students’ biological sleep cycles, and elementary students’ peak times for academic and social engagement.

Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, the school hours at DMPS will be as follows:

Elementary Schools: 7:30 AM – 2:25 PM
Middle Schools (including Cowles and Ruby Van Meter): 8:30 AM – 3:25 PM
High Schools: 8:25 AM – 3:25 PM

I recognize that this means a change for all of our families. Between now and August each of our schools will be working with their families on a variety of topics, including safe routes to school, before and after school care, and after school activity schedules.

In addition, over the next several months the school district will regularly provide information on issues relating to the new school hours, from our free breakfast program at elementary schools to transportation to Metro Kids programming. This information will be shared on our web site at schoolhours.dmschools.org as well as in our Friday morning e-newsletter, TheWeek@DMPS. Also, if you have a question, please submit it via the link in the right-hand column.

The new school hours will be a change from what we’ve become comfortable with over the years, but it is a change that puts our students’ health and academics first. Thank you for your help and support as we improve our ability to give students the greatest chance to succeed.

Sincerely,

Dr. Thomas Ahart
DMPS Superintendent