MCPS Board and Superintendent, Please Wake Up to the Need for Healthier Secondary School Start Times!

The science is clear. We need later school start times for high schools.

2 years ago Featured

I am dreading my daughter having to go to school so early when she reaches high school in 1.5 years. Please follow the evidence and change the start times. I am afraid I will have to take her out of MCPS to give her a healthier learning environment.

MCPS can help students, families and teachers. Waking at the right time means students are refreshed and ready to learn. With later morning bell times, students and their teachers gain sleep, performance improves, and attendance improves. Importantly, safety (driving) and physical and emotional health improve! Set a goal and make it so.

Sleep is essential and sufficient sleep is prevention.

In a post-pandemic reality of widespread mental health challenges, we need our bell times to reflect the physiological needs of students and teachers!

I agree!

Think our kids first !

Yes yes yes

Please allow high schoolers a later start time!

My daughter doesn’t get adequate amount of sleeping which affect her negatively in her academics performance . She has a lot of homework to do plus activities after school some are at school and others out side . So her day is always backed up and sleeping is last matter to think about . I really appreciate the change in bell time .

Next year I will have 3 high schoolers. Please protect their health!!!

Long overdue! A top-notch school district like in Montgomery County should follow the science demonstrating that later start times in high-school leads to better learning outcomes.

The science is clear. Please support the mental and physical health of our teenagers with a later start time. Thank you!

So much current and emerging research supports this!! Thanks for listening to parents! -Colleen McEachern RN

As one of the premier school system in the country, MCPS can lead the change. Follow the science.

Middle and High School students should have later bell times. Doing so could help slow or reverse the recent reported declines in test scores. The adults should adapt to the students' health needs.

Children's health and ability to learn should be a priority. Bus schedules and other logistics should be worked around. If other school districts can do it, we can too.

2 years ago Featured

I can do really well at school if it weren’t for the classes so early in the morning, that my brain can’t comprehend what’s going on. Students are sleeping in their classes due to lack of sleep, we need sleep to learn and we need sleep for a healthy body and healthy brain.

As a parent to a hard working 9th Grader, I would be so grateful if the MCPS Board would base their operations on science and not just the "norm". Please be progressive and make the change!

Please start school later so kids can have the sleep they desperately need for emotional stability! Sleep deprivation is terrible for mental health!