Later Start Time for Secondary Schools Would Greatly Benefit Students

A later school start time creates an optimal learning environment with improved punctuality, attendance, behaviour and sociability.  Peel District School Board should adjust start times at its secondary schools to improve the students’ school life.

Improved Punctuality, Attendance, Behaviour, Sociability and Continuous Enrolment

A literature review by researchers at Carleton University concluded that "later school start times for secondary grades have been shown to improve sleep-debt, punctuality, attendance, behaviour, sociability and continuous enrolment, particularly for the at-risk student population”.

See full article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/08/31/teens-sleep-school-start-delay.html

Better School Life ● More efficient use of transportation

“Lakehead Public Schools switched to a 9:30 a.m. high school start time about nine years ago. Catherine Siemieniuk, Director of Education for Lakehead Public Schools, stated the district adjusted the high school start time because it made school life better for students and turned out to be a more efficient use of transportation. Siemieniuk noted that the later start did not interfere with student jobs or extra-curricular activities because lunch was shortened to allow for a 3:30 p.m. dismissal.”

School boards across the world have changed secondary school start times with great results. Read about the Canadian school boards that have made the decision to delay start times, as well as other countries and the results they’ve achieved at http://schoolstarttime.org/2011/06/12/schools-recently-delaying-start-times/

Improved Attendance ● Optimal Learning Environment

Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute in Toronto changed its start time to 10 am in the fall of 2009.  Attendance improved. In the first year, the Grade 11 math failure rate has dropped from 45 per cent to 17 per cent. A follow-up article was done in 2011. “The most important thing is that the kids are in a better place, and I mean psychologically, emotionally and physically, and for optimizing learning — that’s number one,” said principal Sam Miceli. “The fact that they are getting more sleep? It’s key.”

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/post-secondary/article/923380--toronto-school-starts-hour-later-and-grades-improve

http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/the-old-normal/2011/04/28/toronto-high-schools-late-start-time-pilot-a-success-will-be-ignored-or-fought-elsewhere/

A Superintendent of Education for the Peel District School Board was asked why secondary school start times were so early in the face of research that indicates that later school times benefit students mentally, physically, emotionally and academically.  The Superintendent said that parents do not want a later start time because it may interfere with after school activities and jobs.  Also they cited traffic flow and Ministry resources. And finally, the Superintendent said that “secondary school student graduation rates would suggest that our students are successful with the current structure and organization.”  Attendance and test marks were not mentioned.

We the undersigned believe that the physical, mental and emotional health of our children and their educational success is critically important and request that the Peel District School Board change secondary school start times to 9:15 a.m. or later within one year.