San Diego

Three San Diego Schools Announce Later Start Times

The school district says it will lead to healthier students

San Diego Unified School District announced an initiative to the public Friday that will push back school start times to benefit the health and emotional well-being of students. 

Three schools will start the program in the 2019-2020 academic year: La Jolla High School, the School of Creative and Performing Arts in San Diego, and Muirlands Middle School in La Jolla. 

In February 2019, the San Diego Unified Board of Education adopted a resolution to implement Healthy Start Times for all high school students in the 2020-2021 academic year. 

High school start times will vary from 8:35 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. 

Dr. Howard Taras, the district physician, said there scientific evidence that two-thirds of teenagers are sleep deprived. Healthy start times can lead to improved grades, behavior, physical health, and emotional health. 

"Many adolescents can't go to bed before 11 p.m. because melatonin is released later as teenagers," said Dr. Taras. "That makes them wake up later. By forcing them to do otherwise, they have reduced sleep, which causes problems with behavior and paying attention." 

The American Medical Association and the National Sleep Foundation have defined Healthy Start Times as no earlier than 8:30 a.m. 

On Friday, the district held a press conference to allow the public to ask questions about the new policy. 

"We will not be offering an option 'zero period' ahead of the start times," said Chuck Podhorsky, La Jolla High School Principal. 

Podhorsky also said the school would be setting up new carpool options soon to accomodate parents who have to get to work at the new start times. 

"It's better to have less cars on the road too," added Podhorsky. 

Last May, the district approved coming up with a plan to shift the school start times by an hour, citing that students weren't getting enough sleep and it affected their learning.

The change upset some parents who say it is already difficult enough to balance their kids' schedules with their own work schedules.

"It's a double-edged sword, parent Sarah Fraedrich told NBC 7 in May. "I get that they're trying to let kids have more sleep, but for working parents, it doesn't work that way. Your kids have to get up and go somewhere before you go to work."

Some students were concerned Friday about the schedule shift as well. 

"I'm a senior so I won't be here next year to take my younger brother to school," said Lily Stratton, a student at La Jolla High School. "Both my parents work full-time so it will be really difficult to get him to school ater." 

Parents wishing to learn more about the later start times can attend a series of public meetings with school board officials. 

The meetings will run 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the dates below and will be organized by clusters.

DATECLUSTERMEETING LOCATION
May 1, 2019Scripps Ranch, Mira MesaScripps Ranch High Library
May 2, 2019Clairemont, Madison, SerraSerra High
May 6, 2019Henry, Hoover CrawfordCrawford High
May 13, 2019

Mission Bay, Point Loma University City

University City High
May 20, 2019Morse, Lincoln, SDHSLincoln High
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