As the parent of four children, I was concerned when my oldest daughter started sixth grade at Martin Meylin Middle School where classes currently begin at 7:45 a.m.. This next year my second daughter will begin sixth grade at Martin Meylin and we just learned they're planning to move the start time to 7:35 a.m.

I am not fully aware of all of the reasons this decision has been made, but I can imagine very few if any good reasons my child should be standing out in the dark on cold winter mornings for the bus only to arrive at school half asleep and not ready to learn. Bus schedules and test scores should not dictate what is in the best interests of our children, especially when numerous studies show earlier start times to be counterproductive to learning for adolescents.

Please join me by encouraging the Lampeter-Strasburg School District to change the school start times for both Martin Meyling Middle School and L-S High School to a more reasonable hour, after 8:00 a.m.