Steven_Kriemadis/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
“But the issue of later start
times goes beyond simply
a few more hours of sleep.

It’s also a socioeconomic
burden on the school system and directly to the tax payers,”
Turner said.

also shifted, giving them a slightly longer school day.

The elementary schools’ times were adjusted because of
bussing logistics.

Arlington Public Schools began pursuing later start times in
1999, and later times were enacted in 2001. While all schools
received a shift in start times, the high schoolers had an extra
45 minutes of sleep in the mornings. Similarly to MCPS,
anecdotally, students, families and community members were
all happy with the change. Attendance also rose.

“It’s creating a little bit of stress on those schools and on those
families,” Turner said. “In some cases with long bus rides,
they’re not getting home until 5 p.m. or after.”
Alexandria City Public Schools first made the shift two
years ago and now their high school students currently start at
8:35 a.m.

It was the Montgomery County parents who initially
advocated to adjust school start times a couple years ago.

Working as a community with the school board and the then
superintendent, the 20-minute shift was created.

But couldn’t an afternoon nap just settle this issue once and
for all?
issue, too.”
“The hope was that it would benefit those parents and the high
school community who felt that it would improve student
outcomes,” said Turner.

While some parents believe the time change is beneficial, other
parents believe it negatively impacts their daily commutes and
schedules. “There are hundreds of factors,” said Tuner. “And I don’t
think we’re ready to say that anything is directly related to
bell times. I think we’re going to continue to look at this issue,
but it will be hard to pinpoint specific things when some
many things change.” New principles and staff, a new
superintendent and other factors can all impact
performance data.

But for now, there is no movement to switch the school times
in either direction, said Turner.

“There is no simple solution. There is no one answer that
solves everyone’s concerns without setting up a big financial
16 August 2018 washingtonFAMILY.com
Not so, said Dr. Laura Finkelstein.

“Napping may have the effect of delaying onset of nighttime
sleep and thus canceling the benefits of the nap. An afternoon
nap will take time away from other activities, like homework,
and encourage staying up late to complete those tasks.”
So what can parents do to ensure their teen is getting
enough sleep? Finkelstein recommends setting a structured
bedtime, limit evening use of electronics and discourage the
use of caffeine.

Finkelstein also recommends that parents advocate for later
start times for middle schools and high schools.

“Sleep is undervalued,” said Ibrahim. “You’ll be hard pressed
to find many adults who sleep for eight hours a day. …
A person who gets eight hours of sleep is typically viewed as
a weakling. It’s a negative connotation to be healthy when it
comes to sleep.”
Beth Roessner is a D.C.-based writer and health coach.




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