Pleasantville School Board Faces Parents' Concerns Over New Schedule Changes

The Pleasantville Public Schools Board Meeting held on August 12, 2025, addressed several key issues concerning the upcoming school year, particularly focusing on student schedules and community involvement.

The meeting began with a discussion led by Mr. Diego, who highlighted the importance of ensuring that students have access to school resources and extracurricular activities. He noted that two students from the district would participate in an upcoming pageant, emphasizing Pleasantville's significant Latino community, which comprises over 70% of the district's population. Mr. Diego called for greater inclusion of Latino voices in school and city governance.

Following this, Ms. Mona Talley raised concerns regarding the new scheduling for elementary students, which proposes a start time of 9:00 AM and a dismissal time of 3:10 PM. Dr. Martinez explained that this change aims to better align high school and middle school schedules, allowing for smoother transitions and reduced congestion on campus. However, Ms. Talley expressed worries about working parents who may struggle to drop off their children by the new start time, particularly those who cannot afford before or aftercare services.

Dr. Martinez assured Ms. Talley that the district would provide support for parents needing to drop off their children earlier, with plans to have staff available to receive students at 8:50 AM. He emphasized the importance of creating a safe environment for students upon arrival. However, Ms. Talley and other parents voiced skepticism about whether teachers would be adequately prepared to receive students at that time.

The discussion continued with Jeniza Farah, another parent, who echoed concerns about the later start times and their impact on younger students' learning and well-being. She highlighted issues related to lunch schedules and the potential for children to be unsupervised after school, raising safety concerns for students walking home.

Kathy Watson, president of the Pleasantville Education Association, also contributed to the conversation, noting that many educators share similar concerns about the new schedule. She emphasized the need for more involvement from teachers in discussions about significant changes that affect both their professional and personal lives.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from the district to provide further information to parents regarding the new schedule and to address the concerns raised about student safety and supervision after school. The board plans to reconvene on August 26, 2025, to continue discussions and provide updates on the implementation of the new schedule.