To Change, Or Not To Change
Your eyes slowly flutter as you begin to awake from a long slumber. You look at the clock: 7:25! I'm late for school! This commonly occurring problem for teenagers may not exist for much longer. There is a high possibility that, in 2020, high school start times will change to later in the day and end times will change along with it.
In November of 2018, the school board of the City of Virginia Beach approved a resolution for Virginia Beach City Public Schools to develop a new school start time schedule that would have high school students start later in the day beginning in September of 2020.
Scientific studies done over recent years have shown that teenagers do not get enough sleep to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Nationwide Childrens.org states that the average amount of sleep that teens get is between 7 and 7 1/4 hours. They need between 9 and 9 1/2 hours. Early high school start times can be one of the leading factors in a decrease in sleep time for teens. Sleep deprivation can impact :mood, behavior, cognitive ability, academic performance, and drowsy driving.
Although scientific studies state otherwise, many teens still feel that a change in start time would negatively affect the students. " I think that the current school start time is fine and has a lot more positives than negatives.", says Donley Cahill, freshmen at Green Run High School. When asked about the positives of the current school start time, he stated that, "Students that have jobs can get out earlier and work better hours." When asked about his opinion on the 2020 change in start times, Donley said,"It's not fair for underclassmen to have to get used to a different start time. The changes should only be enforced on incoming freshmen from 8th grade.
It's not just freshmen who feel this way either. Soon to be graduate, Elizabeth Carr had a lot to stay on the current school start times. "I like it, but I don't like it. I like the fact that it allows us to get out earlier in the day, giving us more time for homework and hobby's." When asked about the negatives of the current school start time, Elizabeth said, "I don't like having to wake up super early. I feel exhausted and I don't have the energy in classes." Even with the exhaustion, Elizabeth still argued that against the points of the 2020 school start time. When asked if she would have rather had a later start time when she started high school, she stated, "No, it would have negatively affected my schedule and the schedules of of those around me more than it would have benefited my work ethic.
Ready or not, there is a high possibility of start times changing in 2020. Only time will tell how it will effect the students and the school community itself. So set your alarms for 7:00 and be there by 7:15 because school starts at 7:20... for now...
Links
vbschools.com
www.ama-assn.org
Nationwidechildrens.org
