In recent years, students, including myself, have advocated for the argument of later school times, specifically from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. For decades, students were expected to wake up early, sacrificing essential sleep to meet the rigorous schedule of academics, extracurricular activities and social responsibilities. However, the American Psychological Association suggests that this traditional schedule is not only outdated but also ineffective and actually deters students from performing at the best of their abilities. By starting school at 9 a.m., students can experience numerous benefits, including improved academic performance and general health.
Many students report trouble falling asleep before 11. According to the Sleep Foundation, adolescents and their brain need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep to be energized. However, this is almost impossible as the traditional schedule forbids students from achieving an adequate amount of sleep due to the rigorous amount of schoolwork. While critics argue that students can complete their homework right after school, they ignore many different factors. For example, students are encouraged to take at least hours of break after school. Even though school is fun for many, they are indeed stressful, requiring students to concentrate for a period of almost 7 hours. Doing homework right after school would only damage and impair the students’ abilities to focus on their job. Also, critics often forget that most students are part of a sports team. During the season, athletes spend hours after school, participating in sports that force them to return home later at night. For instance, the Saint Viator soccer team returned to the school at 10 p.m. because of a soccer game they had to play downtown. A later school time would grant students the sleep they need for their health, ultimately leading them to be better students.
In addition, according to the U.S. News, there is a clear difference in academic performances between schools that have implemented the new schedule and schools that have not implemented the latest schedule. Students who get sufficient hours of sleep are more alert, more concentrated, and less stressed due to burnout and sleep deprivation. Teachers also report that students are more engaged in academics. For example, on Navy/Red Modified Day, which the school starts at 9:30 a.m., many students reported that they performed better on tests as they were given more time to study and felt more awake during the test. While the change of moving the schedule one hour seems minimal and insignificant, students and teachers account for an increase in performance in academics, proving the positive results of the new schedule.
This would require a lot of re-planning too. We know that changing schedules is a tough decision to make; It might require some adjustments, but the payoff is students are better, healthier and most importantly: happier.