A New Jersey school district is considering a 9 a.m. start time that will allow students to get a little more sleep before starting their day.
A proposal reported on by NJ.Com said classes at Pleasantville’s four elementary schools could begin 10 minutes later than their current start time on 8:50 a.m. as part of a change that would allow Pleasantville High School to ring the opening bell at 8 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m.
The biggest schedule change would allow the Middle School of Pleasantville to start classed at 8:30 a.m rather than 8:05 a.m. when students return Sept. 4.
Video of a community meeting obtained by Fox 29 showed some parents complaining that getting students to school at a later time could complicate matters for working parents. The proposal was discussed at an Aug. 12 school board meeting, according to NJ.com.
The proposal hasn’t been confirmed. Proponents of the idea think a later start time could make students more productive.
The United Federation of Teachers calls for the school day to begin no sooner than 8 a.m. in New York City. Final bell can come as late as 4:20 p.m. for high schoolers.
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