Fremont Elementary eliminates early drop-offs

Starting Monday at Fremont Elementary School, parents and guardians will need to drop off their children no earlier than 8:05 a.m., as supervision will officially begin on campus at that time.

Since the school is supported by government funding, the grant provided by the government has been reconstructed to focus on academic instructional time, officials with the Carson City School District said. The school also doesn’t have supervisor staffing available to meet the needs of the grant’s requirements, along with the new principal leadership at the school.

Teachers are not required to go on duty before 8:05 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m., said Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes.

However, this change doesn’t apply district wide, nor does it affect high schools, he said.

“This is a practice that’s being evolved,” Stokes said. “To follow certain hours is part of the work expectations of the employees.”

Along with Fremont, there are three other elementary schools under Title 1 by the government, which means some clientele of the schools are living at or below poverty level, Stokes said.

Each school has different requirements and it’s unknown if the other schools will be following this same procedure in the future.

Once school starts and students begin building an academic record, there could be possible consideration to fund before and after school programs.

But Stokes said that also depends. For example, if there’s a record of children showing they need academic help, the principal could use the federal money for before or after-school programs to provide tutoring for the kids, but it must be invited academic structured time. Children would be required to attend and the school would be prepared to host the programs, he said.

One of the concerns regarding this change is the arrangement for parents, as many commute to work and need to clock in at a certain time.

As for after school, the ability to perform supervision on children waiting for parents or other transportation also is limited.

Stokes suggests families to get together and help each other out, such as carpooling opportunities or encourage their children to walk to school with a group of friends.

“When the weather is cold, plans will need to be arranged ahead of time,” he said. “We encourage people to make early contact with zone schools and learn about different programs and offerings at the site, for specific operations.”

The Salvation Army’s Morning Latchkey program offers before-school supervision, but is only offered to students enrolled in Bordewich Bray, Empire, and Mark Twain elementary schools.

However, the Carson City Recreation Division provides a Morning Kids Club at the Carson City Community Center from 6:30 to 8 a.m., and costs $15 per week, per child.

Participants are bussed to school from the community center by the Carson City School District and will need to meet at the community center no later than 7:45 a.m. to catch the ride.

With these changes, Stokes reminds local drivers to be aware of pedestrian and school zones, as there will be more children walking, riding bikes, and skateboarding to school.

The newest driving code for the school year also debuts: it’s illegal to make U-turns in school zones.