The school board has officially approved the adjustment to our daily start times. We have secured a healthier schedule for our students after significant public deliberation. I appreciate your commitment to this cause as we observe the implementation process in the coming months.
April 21, 2016
Final supporters
We, the undersigned, request that Chesterfield County Public Schools create a daily schedule with reasonable start times for all students. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement in 2014 urging high school and middle school start times no earlier than 8:30 a.m., a position supported by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the National Association of School Nurses, and the Society of Pediatric Nurses, based on consistent and compelling science.
Bus routes in CCPS begin pick up at 5:40 a.m. CCPS high school students who are not asleep by 8:30 pm are not getting the amount of sleep consistently recommended by health providers and are in state of chronic sleep deprivation. The American Academy of Pediatrics has called school start times the most "salient" and "malleable" influence on adolescents' sleep patterns. The following data support their position:
- FACT: Hormones regulating sleep make it difficult for teens (compared with adults and younger children) to fall asleep before 11 p.m. These same hormones make it very difficult for teens to wake and be alert in the early morning. Melatonin peaks at around 7:00 a.m. for adolescents and at 4:00 a.m. for adults. Waking a teenager at 7:00 a.m. is biologically similar to waking an adult at 4:00 a.m.
- FACT: Multiple studies have documented substantially higher rates of car accidents involving teen drivers in counties with early start times, including a study comparing Chesterfield and Henrico. These are not just early morning fender benders, but collisions consistent with teens falling asleep at the wheel and driving off the road throughout the day.
- FACT: Sleep debt affects teens’ ability to think, perform, and react appropriately. High school teachers report very low alertness in the first classes of the day. Similarly, elementary teachers report that their students are too tired to learn optimally later in the afternoon, but are very alert in the morning. Changing start times would be more consistent with all students' biological rhythms.
- FACT: Well respected research consistently shows that the avoidable harm caused by sleep deprivation in adolescents includes:
- lower academic achievement
- lower standardized test scores
- poorer school attendance
- higher dropout rates
- lower motivation
- increased depression, higher use of non-prescribed stimulant medications (ADHD medications used by adolescents without ADHD)
- impairments in attention
- higher rates of sports injury
- increased obesity rates over a lifetime
- FACT: CCPS high school students are dismissed at 1:50 p.m. under the current schedule. Many are in unsupervised situations all afternoon. Studies show that teens with more unsupervised time out of school are more likely to use marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco, and use them in greater amounts.
- FACT: Changing high school start times works. Districts that have made the change have documented results including:
- Students sleep more. They do not simply delay their bedtimes.
- Car accidents decrease by 70%.
- Test scores increase, with the greatest gains for the lowest-performing students.
- Decreased dropout rates
- Decreased tardiness
- Improved attendance
- GPA improvements
- Decreases in depression, substance abuse, and sleepiness
- Fewer disciplinary referrals
- Teachers reported greater student productivity and increased motivation throughout the day.
- After one year, 92% of parents preferred the later start time; parents noted decreased moodiness and improved interactions with their teens.
Delaying high school start times is a public health imperative.
Numerous experts in health and safety have called for delayed high school start times, including the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the National Sleep Foundation, the U.S. Education Secretary, and the CCPS Health and Wellness Committee.
We are aware that there are challenges to making this change, including adjustments to work and sports schedules, and transportation. However, many other districts, including those larger than CCPS, have successfully done so, for the benefit of students. CCPS remains one of a very small (and shrinking) minority of districts in the country that starts high school before 7:30 a.m.
We believe that the educational and safety needs of CCPS students should be the highest priority of the School Board and urge them to act to find solutions to logistical or scheduling problems that conflict with a more rational schedule.
We urge the Chesterfield County School Board and the Board of Supervisors to act by the 2017-2018 academic year to make this important change on behalf of our students.
Updates
March 10, 2016
Our community is approaching the one thousand signature threshold. Achieving this milestone will provide the necessary evidence to demonstrate the depth of local concern regarding adolescent sleep health. Please direct others to this page so that we may finalize this petition and present our request to the school board.
Reached 100 supporters
November 20, 2015
November 17, 2015
The momentum behind this petition is growing as we approach the one hundred signature milestone. I invite everyone to post the link on their social media profiles to help us reach this objective by the end of the week.
278 Comments
My son is a junior at Cosby and daughter in 6th grade at Swift Creek. Both are on bus before 7am. Entire family is exhausted and brain fried by Thursday every week. Fatigue has a negative impact on family time in evenings as well as homework and other activities.
With athletes having games starting at 7pm on a school night (i.e basketball and volleyball) and typically practicing late in the afternoon/evening to accommodate coaches work schedules and gym availability, it would be nice for them to not have to wake up before 6am to get to school.
As a parent of a high school student I agree that my son has a hard time leaving the house at 620 to catch the bus. He comes home daily and sleeps for three hours because he's tired. Then has trouble going to bed early and the cycle continues.
I attended many of the community meetings regarding the possible time change. To ignore the research and data is irresponsible. As a high school teacher I can attest to the issues older students face due to lack of sleep.
As a Sleep Medicine specialist, I have encouraged this change for years only to see progress come to a halt each time we have a change in leadership. Evidence for later HS start time is stronger than ever, so please get it done this time!
I am an advocate of later school start times for HS and MS that start school before 8am. I think the additional rest will be beneficial for the children. I know change is hard for everyone but we must take action. Just because it's always been this way doesn't make it right. No matter the decision everyone will not be pleased but I believe in the long run it will be best for our children. We have to address the budget and bus situations for implementation but we can be successful....together.
High School starting later and elementary starting early and first is WAY overdue!
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The school board has officially approved the adjustment to our daily start times. We have secured a healthier schedule for our students after significant public deliberation. I appreciate your commitment to this cause as we observe the implementation process in the coming months.
April 21, 2016
Final supporters
We, the undersigned, request that Chesterfield County Public Schools create a daily schedule with reasonable start times for all students. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement in 2014 urging high school and middle school start times no earlier than 8:30 a.m., a position supported by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the National Association of School Nurses, and the Society of Pediatric Nurses, based on consistent and compelling science.
Bus routes in CCPS begin pick up at 5:40 a.m. CCPS high school students who are not asleep by 8:30 pm are not getting the amount of sleep consistently recommended by health providers and are in state of chronic sleep deprivation. The American Academy of Pediatrics has called school start times the most "salient" and "malleable" influence on adolescents' sleep patterns. The following data support their position:
- FACT: Hormones regulating sleep make it difficult for teens (compared with adults and younger children) to fall asleep before 11 p.m. These same hormones make it very difficult for teens to wake and be alert in the early morning. Melatonin peaks at around 7:00 a.m. for adolescents and at 4:00 a.m. for adults. Waking a teenager at 7:00 a.m. is biologically similar to waking an adult at 4:00 a.m.
- FACT: Multiple studies have documented substantially higher rates of car accidents involving teen drivers in counties with early start times, including a study comparing Chesterfield and Henrico. These are not just early morning fender benders, but collisions consistent with teens falling asleep at the wheel and driving off the road throughout the day.
- FACT: Sleep debt affects teens’ ability to think, perform, and react appropriately. High school teachers report very low alertness in the first classes of the day. Similarly, elementary teachers report that their students are too tired to learn optimally later in the afternoon, but are very alert in the morning. Changing start times would be more consistent with all students' biological rhythms.
- FACT: Well respected research consistently shows that the avoidable harm caused by sleep deprivation in adolescents includes:
- lower academic achievement
- lower standardized test scores
- poorer school attendance
- higher dropout rates
- lower motivation
- increased depression, higher use of non-prescribed stimulant medications (ADHD medications used by adolescents without ADHD)
- impairments in attention
- higher rates of sports injury
- increased obesity rates over a lifetime
- FACT: CCPS high school students are dismissed at 1:50 p.m. under the current schedule. Many are in unsupervised situations all afternoon. Studies show that teens with more unsupervised time out of school are more likely to use marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco, and use them in greater amounts.
- FACT: Changing high school start times works. Districts that have made the change have documented results including:
- Students sleep more. They do not simply delay their bedtimes.
- Car accidents decrease by 70%.
- Test scores increase, with the greatest gains for the lowest-performing students.
- Decreased dropout rates
- Decreased tardiness
- Improved attendance
- GPA improvements
- Decreases in depression, substance abuse, and sleepiness
- Fewer disciplinary referrals
- Teachers reported greater student productivity and increased motivation throughout the day.
- After one year, 92% of parents preferred the later start time; parents noted decreased moodiness and improved interactions with their teens.
Delaying high school start times is a public health imperative.
Numerous experts in health and safety have called for delayed high school start times, including the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the National Sleep Foundation, the U.S. Education Secretary, and the CCPS Health and Wellness Committee.
We are aware that there are challenges to making this change, including adjustments to work and sports schedules, and transportation. However, many other districts, including those larger than CCPS, have successfully done so, for the benefit of students. CCPS remains one of a very small (and shrinking) minority of districts in the country that starts high school before 7:30 a.m.
We believe that the educational and safety needs of CCPS students should be the highest priority of the School Board and urge them to act to find solutions to logistical or scheduling problems that conflict with a more rational schedule.
We urge the Chesterfield County School Board and the Board of Supervisors to act by the 2017-2018 academic year to make this important change on behalf of our students.
Updates
March 10, 2016
Our community is approaching the one thousand signature threshold. Achieving this milestone will provide the necessary evidence to demonstrate the depth of local concern regarding adolescent sleep health. Please direct others to this page so that we may finalize this petition and present our request to the school board.
Reached 100 supporters
November 20, 2015
November 17, 2015
The momentum behind this petition is growing as we approach the one hundred signature milestone. I invite everyone to post the link on their social media profiles to help us reach this objective by the end of the week.
278 Comments
19 year county resident seriously considering moving to Henrico over this issue. House hunting and prepping our house to sell well underway. Make a decision soon as I will not let my daughter start high school here if start times do not get adjusted ASAP.
My son is a junior at Cosby and daughter in 6th grade at Swift Creek. Both are on bus before 7am. Entire family is exhausted and brain fried by Thursday every week. Fatigue has a negative impact on family time in evenings as well as homework and other activities.
With athletes having games starting at 7pm on a school night (i.e basketball and volleyball) and typically practicing late in the afternoon/evening to accommodate coaches work schedules and gym availability, it would be nice for them to not have to wake up before 6am to get to school.
As a parent of a high school student I agree that my son has a hard time leaving the house at 620 to catch the bus. He comes home daily and sleeps for three hours because he's tired. Then has trouble going to bed early and the cycle continues.
I attended many of the community meetings regarding the possible time change. To ignore the research and data is irresponsible. As a high school teacher I can attest to the issues older students face due to lack of sleep.
As a Sleep Medicine specialist, I have encouraged this change for years only to see progress come to a halt each time we have a change in leadership. Evidence for later HS start time is stronger than ever, so please get it done this time!
I am an advocate of later school start times for HS and MS that start school before 8am. I think the additional rest will be beneficial for the children. I know change is hard for everyone but we must take action. Just because it's always been this way doesn't make it right. No matter the decision everyone will not be pleased but I believe in the long run it will be best for our children. We have to address the budget and bus situations for implementation but we can be successful....together.
High School starting later and elementary starting early and first is WAY overdue!
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19 year county resident seriously considering moving to Henrico over this issue. House hunting and prepping our house to sell well underway. Make a decision soon as I will not let my daughter start high school here if start times do not get adjusted ASAP.