Petition Goal:  We want the Coatesville Area School District Board of Directors to become knowledgeable about the benefits of later start times for adolescents, and invert the school start schedule as follows:

E. Fallowfield, King's Hwy, & Rainbow       7:15 AM to 2:00 PM (currently 8:55 to 3:10)
Caln, Friendship, & Reeceville                  7:25 AM to 2:10 PM (currently 8:55 to 3:10)
Middle Schools                                         8:40 AM to 2:55 PM (currently 7:40 to 2:25)
High Schools                                            9:15 AM to 3:30 PM (currently 7:40 to 2:25)

*************************************************************************

Background:  At the June meeting of the Coatesville Area School District Board of Directors, the board voted to change school start times, staggering them enough to reduce the number of buses and save the district significant expense.  This was an ingenious solution.  Unfortunately, it also means that the high schools and middle schools will start even earlier.  This is the newly approved schedule:

High Schools                              7:15 AM to 2:00 PM (currently 7:40 to 2:25)
Middle Schools                           7:25 AM to 2:10 PM (currently 7:40 to 2:25)
Caln, Friendship, & Reeceville    8:40 AM to 2:55 PM (currently 8:55 to 3:10)
E. Fallowfield, King's Hwy, & Rainbow   9:15 AM to 3:30 PM (currently 8:55 to 3:10)

Adolescent physiology delays the ability to fall asleep until after 11:00 PM, and earlier start times will be detrimental to the health and academic performance of middle and high school students already struggling with early mornings.  However, children who have not reached puberty are physiologically able to fall asleep much earlier and wake much sooner than their older counterparts.

While rearranging start times of every school in the district, the Board has a rare opportunity RIGHT NOW to make a change that many districts around the country have already recognized as an extremely important factor in improving student performance.

Please sign the petition and pass it to any other CASD parents, teachers, or students. 
Thank you.

Links