HUNTERS POINTS — Students and parents at P.S./I.S. 78 got an early start to their first day Thursday, with class at the Long Island City school starting 40 minutes earlier this year — a move that drew a mixed reaction from parents.
The school day now starts at 8 a.m. instead of 8:40 a.m. and students get out at 2:20 p.m. instead of 3 p.m.
The shift upset some parents who started a petition this summer to get the old hours back, saying the change will mean extra childcare costs in the afternoon and less family time.
"It's good and bad," said Patrick McQueen, whose son was heading to his first day of sixth grade at P.S. 78 Thursday morning.
"I think it's healthy for kids to get up a little bit earlier."
But while the change didn't affect his schedule directly, he's heard from several other parents who were impacted.
"In this neighborhood, there’s mainly working families, so parents have obligations that last way past 2:30," he said. "It's going to be a logistic nightmare for a lot of parents to get child care."
But other parents said the earlier start time actually works better for their families.
"I think it's great. I have no problem with it," said Victoria Voss, a teacher, whose son Anthony was headed to his first day of fourth grade. "It's easier for me, because I get to drop my kids off, and I work in Williamsburg."
Isabella Masala, who has a daughter in second grade and a son in fifth at the school, said getting out earlier in the day allows her kids to attend a martial arts program in Manhattan after school.
"I think it's better because again, they are able to do activities in the afternoon, they are able to do homework," she said.
About 30 percent of city schools are starting either earlier or later this year, according to a DOE official. The change allows schools to fit in professional development time for teachers, a provision set in the new teachers contract.
The instructional time that students receive and the hours teachers work have remained the same, a DOE official said.
Parents can find their school hours on the DOE's website.
