By Mary O’KEEFE

The group of parents who took a petition of over 1,000 names to the Glendale Unified School District on Aug. 18 to share their concerns about the early start date for the school year have created a website and Facebook page. The website and Facebook page will keep parents informed of the district’s decisions.

When parent Sarah Rush took her daughter to Rosemont Middle School on Aug. 10, the first day of school, she was sad thinking about the early start date and all the summer fun they would be missing. Once at the school she heard other parents voice their same concerns. She went home and composed a petition, just to see if anyone agreed with her.

Within the first few hours it had several hundred signers and by the time she and fellow parents took it to the school board, 1,851 parents had signed the petition.

Rush, and the other parents who joined her at the meeting, just wanted the district to take their concerns into consideration.

President Christine Walters said the calendar was set for next year but would discuss it at future meetings.

Parents who want to monitor the issue and share their opinions can visit www.gusdparents.org and www.facebook.com/gusdparents.

Parents and community members are encouraged to share their thoughts and to help spread the word of the early school start date and how they can be ready for the next calendar discussion and vote at the district.

  Mary Okeefe