Considering Starting School Later For Students
by McKenna Shonka
Pierce High School students start their day at 8:00 a.m. Do you think if we change the time when school starts would it make a difference?
A lot of schools around this area that start school early in the morning. As stated by the website Education Degree, “Around 80% of schools start before 8 a.m., which means many students windup sleep-deprived.”
School should start later because there are many reasons and benefits that could help our students and our academics scores greatly. Studies have shown that starting school early makes teenagers not get enough sleep. According to the article called, “Teens May Do Better When School Starts Later” it states, “Doctors say that starting school earlier in the morning prevents children and teenagers from getting a full night’s sleep, which can affect their health, safety, and academic performance.” If students do get enough sleep, they have a greater chance of getting higher academics scores during school.
Most of the schools around this area start at 8:00 a.m. too. Norfolk High School starts their school day at 8:00 a.m. Most schools around Nebraska start their day at eight a.m. in the morning, but Columbus Scotus High School starts their day at 8:15 a.m., so it is a little later than eight.
Junior Sarah Miller comments, “I think we should start later because I don’t actually start thinking well till after nine in the morning.” This statement is proved by Sarah Knapton a Science Correspondent. Knapton explains, “Neuroscientists say teens are biologically predisposed to go to sleep around midnight and not feel fully awake and engaged until between 9 am and 10 am.” There are lots of parts of the brain but or cognitive development is what we need to function or learn. If your brain doesn’t wake up till nine in the morning, then really you just forget everything from first period.
Josh Raiser, a worker in Nucor Detailing Center in Norfolk Nebraska, starts his day typically at 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. Raiser adds, “I love starting work later because I like to sleep, so the more sleep I can get the better my day will go.”
Did I change your mind? Do you think starting school will improve a student’s academic performance and their health?
