<div>On the last Wednesday of each month, the first bell will ring at 10 a.m. instead of 8:45 a.m. The later start gives teachers a block of time to work together and focus on professional learning before students arrive.These consistent late starts were introduced this year as part of a new approach to professional development. While students may see the schedule as an extra 75 minutes in the morning, the main purpose of the change is to give educators time that was previously difficult to find during the school day.Principal Dr. Andrew Young said the late starts were not initially designed to give students a later start.“This late start, the eight that we have, was…designed to provide a block of time that would benefit professional learning for our educators,” Young said.The time is being used as part of a larger professional development plan. On Wednesdays without a late start, certified staff, including teachers, counselors, and social workers, work on Collaborative Action Teams (CAT).The schedule was established through the most recent contract between the Board of Education and the teachers’ union, which allowed the late starts to be used for professional learning.The model is replacing the previous PLC system and focuses on collaboration, improving teaching practices and student outcomes. Young described the schedule as a cycle in which educators learn about the CAT model during late starts and then use regular Wednesdays to put it into practice For students, the later start can provide more flexibility in the morning. Bella Faciano (12) initially liked the idea of having extra time in the morning, but she said the biggest benefit has been feeling less rushed and more energized throughout the day.“I definitely think [it’s] less stressful because it’s nice to get up slowly,” Faciano said. “Even if I do wake up earlier, I can get through my morning [steadily].”However, the later start has not always meant sleeping later. Faciano emphasized that activities before school can still require students to arrive early, and changing her normal routine made it difficult to sleep in, but she still appreciates how these late starts can affect her mood in a positive manner.Audrey Koo (12) was also excited when she first heard about the late starts, though she was disappointed that the implementation hadn’t happened sooner. For her, the late starts have been a useful break from the normal school routine, although her activities have sometimes prevented her from using the extra time to rest.The schedule can also affect students who participate in activities before school. Faciano said morning activities may have to adjust to the later start, while afternoon activities are less affected.For example, the theater department is scheduled to perform for middle school students on Oct. 28, a late-start Wednesday. Because the middle school begins at 7:35 a.m., theater students will still need to arrive early for the performance.Faciano explains that this situation shows how late starts can create complications for activities that depend on students arriving before the regular school day.“The afternoon activities, I think, will be fine,” Faciano said. “It’s really just the morning activities that can get easily thrown for a loop by things like this.”The shortened school day also means students have shorter class periods. For Faciano, this can be difficult for classes that require more time, such as biotechnology labs, because students sometimes have to stop before completing a step.“We can’t be in the middle of [a lab procedure] when the bell rings,” Faciano said. “We have to stop [earlier].”Koo, however, said she generally likes the shorter periods because changing subjects more frequently helps her maintain her attention.“I really like it because I’m moving around more and I feel like my attention span is better,” Koo said.There haven’t been any major problems after the first two late starts, according to Young, although communication has been one of the main areas the school is still working on as the school continues adjusting to the new schedule.“Anytime you implement something new, [there are] always unintended consequences,” Young said.Additionally, Young mentioned that the school has focused on making sure parents, students, and staff are aware of when late-start days occur and what to expect from the adjusted schedule, including changes to bus timings. The school has also worked with families who need to drop their children off earlier due to work schedules — helping by having some spaces remaining available before the regular start time.The school plans to continue with the schedule while paying attention to feedback from teachers, students, and families. The number and timing of the late starts are part of the negotiated contract, so those cannot simply be changed from year to year. However, how teachers use the time could change based on what the school learns.For now, Young explains that the school will continue to evaluate the late starts as staff and students gain more experience with the schedule.</div>

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On the last Wednesday of each month, the first bell will ring at 10 a.m. instead of 8:45 a.m. The later start gives teachers a block of time to work together and focus on professional learning before students arrive. These consistent late starts were introduced this year as part of...

Students, staff reflect on late start implementation

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On the last Wednesday of each month, the first bell will ring at 10 a.m. instead of 8:45 a.m. The later start gives teachers a block of time to work togeth

Students, staff reflect on late start implementation

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