- Target:
- Town of Barrington School Committee
- Region:
- United States of America
The Health and Wellness Committee (HWC), in conjunction with the Barrington School Committee (BSC), are proposing changes in school start times for high school students. In order to accommodate these changes, our children at Sowams, Primrose Hill, Nayatt, Hampden Meadows and the Middle schools will be negatively impacted.
The proposal to change start times at the high school level is in response to research citing an increase in sleep deprivation in teens. However, we believe these proposals are based on insufficient evidence that delayed start times resulted in increased student performance, insufficient consideration to the impacts to children under the age of 15, or consideration to the increase of early on-set puberty in children aged young as 7.
As we all know…Barrington Schools are high performing institutions and this initiative will not take our education to the next level but we believe it will negatively impact the students at all levels.
We ask the BSC NOT to change the current school start times for the upcoming school year and in the future.
We believe:
• If activities are managed, consistent bed and wake times are established, caffeine and energy drinks are eliminated, students are engaged in stimulating activities during early afternoon slump time, and downtimes prior to bedtime are established, then incidences of sleep deprivation would decrease in teens.
• There is not enough evidence to show high performing schools have benefited from delayed start times.
• A change in start times may incent students to stay up later- negating the purpose of a delayed start time. Medical experts cite the extra 30 minutes of sleep would only provide benefit if teens maintain their current bedtime, for example falling asleep at 10pm.
• By delaying start times, we are not preparing our teens for the demands of post secondary education, or expectations of future employment, or life.
• Delaying school times for the high school would negatively impact our children in the elementary level, Hampden Meadows and Middle schools, given the increase in occurrence of early on-set puberty and its correlation to the sleep requirements during puberty.
• Delayed start times in Barrington will impact the after school activities, not only within the public school system but privately organized activities, such as lacrosse, soccer, dance, etc.
The world is 24/7. We ask ourselves to be better, faster, stronger, smarter, and more competitive. We acknowledge there is a rise in sleep deprivation for persons of all ages. However, we believe that with consistent routines and management of extracurricular activities, we can help our children grow, cope and succeed.
Please show your support for the families against the changes in school start times by signing this petition.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Stop Delayed Start Times, Barrington petition to Town of Barrington School Committee was written by Elizabeth Henderson and is in the category Culture at GoPetition.