- The Public Schools of Northborough & Southborough
- School Start Time Task Force
Start Time Configuration
The Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough School Start Time Task Force
-
In May 2020, the School Committees of Northborough and Southborough unanimously supported the proposed start time change.
NSBORO School Start Time FAQs
For more information, please visit the information below
-
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Backs American Academy of Pediatrics call to start middle and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. September 2, 2014.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- Recommends that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. for the sake of sleep, health, and learning. August 25, 2014.
American Academy of Pediatrics, Florida Chapter
- Position Statement: Start Schools After 8:00 a.m. January 9, 2012.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
American Association of Sleep Technologists (AAST)
American Medical Association (AMA)
- Encourages middle and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. for adolescent wellness. June 14, 2016. [Policy Statement]​
American Psychological Association
- "While implementation may be complex, particularly when a change would bring a school’s schedule out of sync with neighboring systems, delaying school start times so that adolescents begin their instructional day later provides numerous benefits to the students and their broader community alike." (2014)
American Sleep Association
- Middle school and high school should not start before 08:00. A time closer to 09:00 or later would be preferable. February 7, 2016.
American Thoracic Society
- School start times should be delayed to align with physiological circadian propensity of this age group. June 15, 2015.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Recommends that middle and high schools push back start times to 8:30 a.m. or later. August 6, 2015.
Bridgeway Center, Inc.
- Supports later start times for high schools students in Okaloosa County, FL. September 20, 2014.
Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. (CIAC)
- Position statement: switching to later school start times does create a more optimal learning environment and improves student achievement for high school athletes. The CIAC will continue to offer student-athletes the same opportunities for sports participation as it has historically done regardless of individual school district decisions on school starting times. (Section 10.10 on page 221) In April 2018 this position statement was weakened considerably to make start times the perogative of local school systems.
- Supports later school start times for adolescents and endorses the initiative and efforts of Start School Later.
Florida High School Athletic Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee
Healthy People 2020
- Sleep Health Objective. September 13, 2012.
Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA)
- Letter of Support for AAP Recommendation. December 2016.
Massachusetts Medical Society
- Resolution supports starting middle and high schools after 8:30 a.m. December 5, 2015.
Key Presentations and Meeting Agendas
-
The Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough: School Start Time Timeline:
Historical Overview
2014 – Spring:
Parent group was concerned with Sleep Deprivation and shared their interest
2014 – Fall:
Algonquin Study Group was formed, and the following main concerns were identified: Technology, Sleep, Homework, and, the demands of being a high school student.
2015 – Winter:
Findings were presented to Christine Johnson, Superintendent of Schools
2015 – Spring:
Exploring Start Times presentation to Regional School Committee
- Superintendent Johnson asked Christina Smith to look at the feasibility of moving the start time 20 minutes with a no-cost option
- It was determined that 20 minutes was not enough of a gain/change for the students
- The amount of disruption for 20 minutes was not worth the change at the time.
- It was decided to hold and to form a task force, hire a bus consultant, and do more research.
2014-2017:
Start Time was on School Committee agendas
2018 – Spring:
Start School Later presentation to the Northborough, Southborough, and Northborough-Southborough Regional School Committees
2018-2019:
Task Force Established (spring 2019)
Bus Consultant Hired
