The board just voted to adjust the start times and I am honestly in shock. None of this would have happened without your willingness to speak up when it felt like nobody was listening. This is entirely your victory.
April 8, 2017
Final supporters
It’s evident that no straightfoward solution to the issue of changing school start times exists. The Ridgefield Board of Education has demonstrated their valued consideration and analysis of the problem. However, we’re asking them to take a second look.
It’s no secret that high school students, not only in Ridgefield but around the nation, do not get the recommended 8+ hours of sleep each night. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers’ circadian rhythms (biological clocks) are wired in such a way that they’re naturally inclined to stay up late and wake up late. Therefore, our 7:20 a.m. start time contrasts sharply with our sleep patterns and needs.
We holistically recognize the issues that a later start time presents, including but not limited to higher bus costs and impact on after-school activities. As students, we realize that we lack the perspective the BOE has on this topic; while their points are valid, so are ours. The voice of the student body must be heard. If Ridgefield High School succeeds while sleep-deprived, imagine what we could achieve while well-rested.
In advocacy of an even more successful future for all Ridgefield High School students, we respectfully ask the Ridgefield BOE to reconsider their decision to postpone changing start times. The time to act is now.
Updates
March 4, 2017
I am honestly overwhelmed by the momentum behind this because it was never my intention for this to become something so significant. This movement exists only because you all chose to step up and share your own experiences so clearly. It is entirely your energy that has brought us to this point.
Reached 100 supporters
March 4, 2017
23 Comments
While I agree that the students are going to bed way too late and getting way too little sleep, this isn't because of the early start time. It is caused by the staggering amount of homework that is assigned and the lack of communication between teachers. If the teachers would merely take into account what is going on in the extracurriculars, such as if there is a musical that night or a football game, and then assign homework accordingly, I believe that the sleep problem could be solved.
I've been out sick more times this year than any year before. The sleep deprivation has lowered my immunities. This must change next year!
We need a high school schedule that works with our biology, not against it. We should be in class when we are alert and ready to learn, not when our bodies tell us we should be sleeping. I often see classmates falling asleep during class. There is so much research supporting a later start, I don’t understand why they have not made this happen already.
I graduated from RHS in 2015 and I have to say when I had first periods free I was able to focus much better in class. I definitely support a later start time.
This is extremely true, I feel groggy everyday that I turn up to school and it truly hinders my performance. Even just going in an hour late because of a morning free I feel much more awake and ready to learn.
The whole idea to push back school to simply gain more sleep is ridiculous. If one was to push back the starting times, one could claim that we as students would sleep later, however this transitively pushes back the entire functioning schedule, including but not limited too: sports, clubs, homework, and non-aforementioned activities. This would cause students to stay up later to successfully complete all of this work, which in turn leads to the same amount of sleep, making this whole idea counter intuitive as a whole. In addition, I'm not positive if Ridgefield has a different policy, but minors can't sign a petition on both a state and federal level, making the majority of these signatures null.
this has gotta happen.
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The board just voted to adjust the start times and I am honestly in shock. None of this would have happened without your willingness to speak up when it felt like nobody was listening. This is entirely your victory.
April 8, 2017
Final supporters
It’s evident that no straightfoward solution to the issue of changing school start times exists. The Ridgefield Board of Education has demonstrated their valued consideration and analysis of the problem. However, we’re asking them to take a second look.
It’s no secret that high school students, not only in Ridgefield but around the nation, do not get the recommended 8+ hours of sleep each night. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers’ circadian rhythms (biological clocks) are wired in such a way that they’re naturally inclined to stay up late and wake up late. Therefore, our 7:20 a.m. start time contrasts sharply with our sleep patterns and needs.
We holistically recognize the issues that a later start time presents, including but not limited to higher bus costs and impact on after-school activities. As students, we realize that we lack the perspective the BOE has on this topic; while their points are valid, so are ours. The voice of the student body must be heard. If Ridgefield High School succeeds while sleep-deprived, imagine what we could achieve while well-rested.
In advocacy of an even more successful future for all Ridgefield High School students, we respectfully ask the Ridgefield BOE to reconsider their decision to postpone changing start times. The time to act is now.
Updates
March 4, 2017
I am honestly overwhelmed by the momentum behind this because it was never my intention for this to become something so significant. This movement exists only because you all chose to step up and share your own experiences so clearly. It is entirely your energy that has brought us to this point.
Reached 100 supporters
March 4, 2017
23 Comments
As much as I understand the positives of a later start time, I feel more will change than people realize. Towards the end of Fall, it starts getting dark very early, and if we are getting out of school an hour or two later, the fall sports will be taking a hit. They won't have nearly as much time to get practice or games in everyday, and even if they did, the players wouldn't be getting home until 6:00 at the earliest, and will be left with very little time for homework. Believe me, I would love more sleep, but as a soccer player, I believe this needs to be considered
While I agree that the students are going to bed way too late and getting way too little sleep, this isn't because of the early start time. It is caused by the staggering amount of homework that is assigned and the lack of communication between teachers. If the teachers would merely take into account what is going on in the extracurriculars, such as if there is a musical that night or a football game, and then assign homework accordingly, I believe that the sleep problem could be solved.
I've been out sick more times this year than any year before. The sleep deprivation has lowered my immunities. This must change next year!
We need a high school schedule that works with our biology, not against it. We should be in class when we are alert and ready to learn, not when our bodies tell us we should be sleeping. I often see classmates falling asleep during class. There is so much research supporting a later start, I don’t understand why they have not made this happen already.
I graduated from RHS in 2015 and I have to say when I had first periods free I was able to focus much better in class. I definitely support a later start time.
This is extremely true, I feel groggy everyday that I turn up to school and it truly hinders my performance. Even just going in an hour late because of a morning free I feel much more awake and ready to learn.
The whole idea to push back school to simply gain more sleep is ridiculous. If one was to push back the starting times, one could claim that we as students would sleep later, however this transitively pushes back the entire functioning schedule, including but not limited too: sports, clubs, homework, and non-aforementioned activities. This would cause students to stay up later to successfully complete all of this work, which in turn leads to the same amount of sleep, making this whole idea counter intuitive as a whole. In addition, I'm not positive if Ridgefield has a different policy, but minors can't sign a petition on both a state and federal level, making the majority of these signatures null.
this has gotta happen.
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As much as I understand the positives of a later start time, I feel more will change than people realize. Towards the end of Fall, it starts getting dark very early, and if we are getting out of school an hour or two later, the fall sports will be taking a hit. They won't have nearly as much time to get practice or games in everyday, and even if they did, the players wouldn't be getting home until 6:00 at the earliest, and will be left with very little time for homework. Believe me, I would love more sleep, but as a soccer player, I believe this needs to be considered