Apr 24, 2018 3 min read

Washington High School students who have been hankering for an extra half-hour of sleep on school days are going to get their wish in the 2018-19 school year.

Washington School Board unanimously approved a plan Monday that will move the start of the day for high school students from 7:50 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. Start times for other grades also will be adjusted.

Superintendent James Konrad said the decision was made in light of studies that show adolescents need more sleep, and early start times have been a hindrance to that.

“It’s all research-based,” Konrad said.

There might be further adjustments in the schedule, phased in over a two-to-three-year period, he added.

When Washington High School students return from summer break in August, they will start their day at 8:20 a.m. and be dismissed at 3 p.m. The same start times will apply to students in seventh and eighth grades.

Students in kindergarten through the third grade will start at 8:52 a.m., with dismissal at 3:09 p.m. Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders will start at 8:12 a.m. and depart at 2:41 p.m.

Teacher start times also have changed. For grades seven to 12, teachers will begin their day at 7:35 a.m. and leave at 3:05 p.m. Teachers for students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades will start at 7:25 a.m. and depart at 2:55 p.m., and teachers for students from kindergarten through the third grade will have to be at school by 8:05 a.m., with their departure set at 3:35 p.m.

Konrad said the proposal received positive feedback from teachers and parents. Students still will be receiving the same amount of instructional time, but there will be slight adjustments to the day to fulfill the requirement, the superintendent explained.

There has been a growing consensus among educators and pediatricians that young people are not getting enough sleep, and that their ability to think and absorb information is being hindered. Part of the problem is that schools start too early. In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended middle and high schools get their days underway at 8:30 a.m. or later to give students the opportunity to grab just a little more shut-eye. Other organizations that track adolescent health have noted that it’s hard for preteens and teens to fall asleep before 11 p.m., and they should typically sleep eight to 10 hours every night.

Along with diminished classroom performance, the American Academy of Medicine has warned that adolescents who do not get sufficient sleep are at risk for depression, weight gain and engaging in risky and unhealthy behaviors such as drinking and using drugs.