Ridiculous start-time at school, anyone else have/had this problem?

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

One of the things I REALLY hate about my high school (I'm currently a junior) is how early the day starts. A nice, bright-and-early 7:18 am. I don't know of any other school that starts this early, and it really takes a toll; I'm in an almost CONSTANT state of sleep deprivation (going to bed earlier has usually never helped), I get migraines somewhat more frequently than normal, and I mean full-blown headache/nausea/weakness, due to that, not to mention being tired almost all the time.

Even so, most of my peers, as I've found out, usually get up at or around 5 am, more than an hour before I generally wake up, and they have almost no problems whatsoever! The only thing I've seen from them is a tendency to sleep in class, and I can certainly see why.

Couldn't they have at least come up with a rounder time, such as 7:20, 7:15, etc? Why such a weird number?

But this whole thing is really starting to get me really angry. None, or almost none, of the staff seems to care. Don't they know that studies have shown that it's not healthy to run teens like this so early in the morning? Yet they expect us to be punctual. I'm pretty sure a lot of adult workplaces have later get-up and start times than this, especially the 9 to 5 type. I seriously can't take this anymore, it's to the point where I almost don't care at all if I'm late or not, it's like a civil disobedience thing.

(P.S.: I'm not sure where this goes, so the mods can feel free to move it if necessary, thanks.)

Thoughts?

[bicentennial_baby]

1. My first class in HS was at 7:20 every day

But, I lived on campus, so it wasn't *that* bad. Not that great either though. :)

[DS1]

2. My first classes were at 9:00 and THAT kicked my ass

Our suspensions were called 8:15s where you just sat there for 30 minutes without saying anything.

Think about that, 8:15 was a form of punishment.

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

4. See, I'd kill to be able to get up that late,

Even my middle school had a start time over and hour later, 8:25; And I remember how I used to think how early the bus route (7:47) was! At least during OGT's last march, juniors and seniours who passed it the previous year (myself included) didn't have to come to school until 9:30. Those mornings were seriously a blesing beyond words; actually getting up in daylight, and getting to relax instead of rush, for one.

[DS1]

36. Actually, I just remembered, it was a 7:15 that was punishment

and classes started around 8. Still, that's far too early for teenagers. Especially night people like me. I don't really wake up until 6 pm as it is.

[Arkansas Granny]

3. The 7:18 may be related to dividing the hours into ten 6 minute segments.

When I was in school they did that because of the way they programmed the bells to ring. :shrug:

[skygazer]

5. My high school started at 7:13

Yeah, another weird number. I had to ride the bus so I got up very early to feed my horses, shower and get on the bus.

If you go to bed at 10pm and get up at 5, you're getting 7 hours of sleep which is not sleep deprivation - it's plenty of sleep. Going to bed at a regular time and getting up at a regular time will help keep migraines at bay (and that means not sleeping until noon on weekends).

Oh, and those 9 to 5 jobs? That means getting up at 5, getting the kids ready for school, showering and dressing, fighting your way through rush-hour traffic and spending half an hour looking for parking.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

12. It's not enough sleep ...........

Kids, teenagers included, need 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night if they're going to grow normally and develop in a healthy manner. Kids grow while they sleep, so it's very, very important.

These early starting times are insane. I feel for the kids ...............

[Odin2005]

6. It's because after-school sports is more important then fully awake students.

Which just goes to show you how much we really value education in America.

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

7. Especially in Ohio, where I am.

n/t

[mcctatas]

8. 7:40 in these parts...

when I was in HS I always tried to get a study hall first period so I could finish sleeping

[Broken_Hero]

9. Same here, 7:40am

we also had zero hour classes, for example if you were in Jazz Band, your class was a zero hour class, which started at 6:45. I think they had zero hour classes for Speech/Debate, and Drama.

Btw, HS was in Southeast Alaska.

[mcctatas]

10. here is southeast WI

maybe we both start a little later to give people time enough to shovel out or at least scrape their windows?

[Broken_Hero]

29. Probably, I never thought

of it that way, the weather/environment being a factor in the school time. I just figured it was the best time, so the same buses could be used for the Jr High, and then elementary...

If memory serves, HS was 7:40am, Jr. High was 8:30, Elementary was 9:15

[azmouse]

11. I worked in factories for years with a start time of 7 am.

No choice. :shrug: You get used to it.

[ThomCat]

19. It's harder for teens, who are developing and need the sleep.

Adults can handle the early hour more easily than teens.

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. I agree with ThomCat and also have concerns about...

kids at bus stops and walking to school when it is pitch black outside in the winter. We had several kids killed here before the school board finally moved to later start times.

[MorningGlow]

13. School districts always get it backwards

They always make high schools start extra early and elementary schools start later, when it's been documented (I recall a study done on this a year or two ago) that because high-school-age students are growing and their hormones are developing at such a rapid rate, they really do need much more sleep than people of any other age. And as any parent of an elementary-school-age kid can tell you, they're up at the crack of dawn and raring to go, even on weekends. (Ugh.) They really should flip the schools' start times.

[AwakeAtLast]

15. My school district didn't want 5 y/os waiting for a bus in the dark

That was the main reason they chose the HS to go earlier, plus our high school students are able to go to their jobs sooner and they are making more money as a result.

Because I'm an educator I have seen those studies, now if society could work around that we would see better test scores (which is all they care about, BTW)

[MorningGlow]

16. I have heard those reasons, yes

I don't think it would affect too many elementary-age kids around here, though, as they no longer congregate at bus stops. They're all picked up in front of their houses for safety's sake--even if they live nextdoor to one another. (And that goes for high school students too.) Most of them don't come out of their houses till the bus pulls up. And I've seen one kid get picked up at his house by the school bus...and he's literally half a block from the school.

I'm gonna sound like an old lady and say that "in my day...!" I had to walk three blocks up a busy, winding road with no sidewalks and then cross a busy intersection to stand on the opposite corner for my bus--in the dark. But that was waaaayyyy back in the '80s.
:rofl:

[LeftyMom]

21. Us too!

As you can tell by my post, I clearly did not survive.

[Pacifist Patriot]

23. Scarred you for life, did it?

:)

[LeftyMom]

25. It really does explain a lot.

:rofl:

[Pacifist Patriot]

26. Perhaps, but you still make a fantastic wedding date.

[LeftyMom]

30. It's the car. Chicks dig the car.

;)

[Pacifist Patriot]

31. This chick did.

:9

[Pacifist Patriot]

22. I had to walk three miles in the snow up hill both ways...also in the 80s.

Actually, my parents always bought a house just this side of the busing radius. So I had the longest possible walk to school. I always envied the bus riders. We lived at the top of a killer hill when I was in high school. Not so bad in the morning, but coming home after an exhausting day was an absolute bitch, especially on hot Georgia days.

[mwooldri]

38. They do here in Guilford County, NC.

Elementary schools start first then the middle & high schools.

My son is in kindergarten right now and he is NOT up at the crack of dawn. Though it's rare for him to sleep beyond 9am. I guess come teenage years he's going to be one of those people who are up at the crack of noon! I guess he takes after his dad - I hated getting up in the morning, always dashed to school and cut it close (I walked, err ran to school). Weekends I generally often slept in if I could get away with it.

Mark.

[AwakeAtLast]

14. Our high school starts at 7:15 a.m.

Which means staff reports at 6:45. They are out at 2:15.

The start time was moved two years ago so that they could run double bus routes and save money by not buying more buses.

I've not heard many complaints since this was started.

I will say that when I was growing up in So. IL (lots of farming) 6:00 a.m. wakeup time was pretty normal becuase of chores and stuff.

My advice - caffeine and lots of it.

[EastTennesseeDem]

17. I had it at 7:15

I really feel like Metro Nashville Public Schools went out of their way to pump some gratuitous discipline into us, and it wasn't just the time. Stupid fascist assholes.

[Pacifist Patriot]

18. High Schools start at 8:30 here. I think I started at 8:45 when I was in high school.

Oodles of years ago, but I'm pretty sure I remember the elementary school starting at 8:15, the high schools at 8:45 and the middle schools at 9:15.

7:18? Sounds like your superintendent used to schedule airline flights.

I agree with you. Teenage bodies are going through some awesome changes and require more sleep. I always hated the meme of the "lazy teenager." I get grief from my parents for letting my son sleep until 11:30 - 12:00 and napping on the weekends.

We homeschool so we have that luxury. But for Pete's Sake! He grew four inches in five weeks. That's a load on anyone's body.

I'm actually surprised to see school starting that early. Our elementary schools used to start at 7:30 until a couple of kids standing out at bus stops or walking to school in the wintry dark pre-dawn hours were killed by motorists who couldn't see them. Isn't it pitch black during the winter when you head off to school?

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

32. Almost always,

usually from late October/early November to late March/early April; i.e. most of the school year.

[Arugula Latte]

24. That's crazy. We had that in my h.s., but that was "A" period, before 1st period.

The regular school start was after 8, as I recall.

[tigereye]

27. research says all you teens' brains function better after noon, or some such

So that seems ridiculously early.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

42. When school boards actually start paying attention to research

it will be a most amazing day. :hi:

[tigereye]

49. well, some pay too much attention, and some none at al!

:rofl:

How's the weather down your way? Are you getting some of that heat wave we have? :hi:



To be fair, some school districts actually have a later start for high schoolers, although I suspect it has more to do with money than brain research...

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

50. Yeah, it's much hotter than avarage here,

and just November through a week ago we were well below avarage..

[tigereye]

56. it's bizarre, isn't it? It was a damnably long winter!

but my tulips seem happy and everything is wonderfully green, finally. :woohoo:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

66. Too hot here...Low 90s

And my freaking vents seem to be stuck in the "hot air" position. :(
I guess it's time to stop putting off the inevitable trip to the mechanic.

Our school board tends to hype the research at first, but changes its tune when the budget is passed.
But of course that's only one school board.

I can't figure out why so many school districts cut art and music programs consistently when research has proven that these are a boon to kids, and actually help them perform better in their academic subjects.

[tigereye]

75. an old friend had a bumper sticker that said, The Arts are not a Luxury

and I fully agree!

[Midlodemocrat]

28. 7:25 here. When I taught school, it started at 8AM

I hate that I have to get up that early. It royally sucks. Just as soon as I go back to bed, those rotten teenagers are back home.

:hide:

Welcome to DU, btw. I have a son who is a junior in high school. He is called 'The Boy' around these here parts.

[greenbriar]

33. I teach Middle School and we are in class doing the Flag Salute at 7:10 AM

and so are 8 other middle schools in our district

[Strong Atheist]

34. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

35. Thanks!

[mwooldri]

37. Nope, school in England.

School starts at 9am, and ended for me at 3:30pm. Hour and a bit for lunch and a recess too.

My son? Elementary starts at 7:45 officially though the teacher has exercises for those who arrive when doors open at 7:20am. School ends at 2:25.

However the school system makes sense: elementary schools start first and then the middle/high schools. The schools figure that even though it'd be dark the parents would at least show their kids on the bus at elementary level.

Eastern Guilford HS's day starts at 8:50am.

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

39. Move over, I'm going to England!

So I can get more of this :boring:

[BreweryYardRat]

40. I've been out of high school for a few years, but I distinctly remember the 7:30 start time.

Ugh. I wound up sleeping through a lot of classes.

I feel your pain.

[DarkTirade]

41. I had that same problem. And I've got that trifecta of being naturally a night person,

an insomniac, and being the kind of person who can't function properly without regular sleep.

Needless to say, despite the fact that I've got a 145ish IQ, I barely graduated high school in the regular 4 years. I literally squeaked by at the end. BARELY pulled my grades up enough to graduate on time. And I was dealing with constant problems that went away the minute school was out... incredibly bad heartburn that I've never had since, incredibly bad acne that never bothered me when I was getting enough sleep (and when I say incredibly bad I mean INCREDIBLY bad. My face would literally be in pain. I was on prescription medication. It didn't help.), ect.

[Odin2005]

52. You should have sued the school for ruining your teen years.

It seems schools only do things when the lawyers come after them or they are afraid of lawyers coming after them. That's just fucking horrible.

[DarkTirade]

61. Yeah, its pretty sad that I was healthier as a 20-something year old working at a greasy pizza joint

while dealing with the stress of earning money and trying to keep up my grades in college then when I was a teenager and eating healthy and exercising regularly.

[applegrove]

43. Wow. That is really early. I wouldn't have made it in on time if my high school was like that.

[yellowdogintexas]

46. on the bus @ 6:50 am to arrive at school @ 8:00. Home Room at 8:10. OUt at 3

Home at 4:10.

I slept on the bus. A lot. Esp in the mornings. There were about 15 of us that were on the bus together the whole route and we did a lot of napping until we got to the last major pickup point where the bus filled up and got too noisy and interesting

Usually I took a nap in study hall too.

It was fairly brutal because I had to ride into town with my dad who opened the family general store at 6:30 so we left home at 6:15 (which means I got up at 5 am) and I hung out in the store until the bus came. Sometimes I did homework then and sometimes I napped.

He went home for supper around 7:00 so it was one hell of a long day. I would go down to my great grandmother's and take naps, or my grandmother's, or sit in the store office and do homework.

My senior year my parents bought a house in town and I could sleep until 6:15! And go home in the afternoons.

after all that I totally agree with the OP!

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

48. Actually,

I'm rarely on time anymore (82 tardies so far this year). Plus, class doesn't actually start until 7:30ish, because we all watch Channel One...:rolleyes:

[applegrove]

57. What is channel one?

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

58. It's some 10-15 minute news program aimed mostly at teenagers,

aired in the morning.

[applegrove]

59. Oh that cool. If you frequent the DU you may find it patronizing but many kids

don't read newspapers or listen to the news. Good that it exists.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

44. 7:18 is too harsh

Seems a bit too early if you ask me. If I recall my school start time was around 8:30....it has been quite a few years ago though. That was Japan, but I think several US schools have similar start times.

I probably would feel the same as you, 7:18 seems too early.

[datasuspect]

45. be glad that there's a high school to go to

and that we're not still an agrarian society. if that were the case, you'd be getting up at 4 am to work on a farm and in bed by the time the sun went down.

when i was in elementary school, we had to be at mass to pray the rosary at 6:15 am and then class all day.

7:18? you kids are spoiled rotten nowadays.

[Lucian]

47. My high school started at 8:25 am.

That was nine years ago.

[Coyote_Bandit]

51. When I was in grad school

morning classes bagan at 7:10 and continued until around 11:30 or so. We had afternoons to study or work. Then we returned for evening classes which began just after 6 pm and continued until 10. Most of us worked so the only time available for study was weekends. Unless you chose to go without your beauty sleep.

9 to 5? The only folks I know who keep those hours own the place. Everyone else is expected to be there at 8 or earlier. Depending on the office environment it just might be in your interest to stay late in the evening - at least until after the boss leaves.

Think a cushy corporate job makes a difference? In some corporations that is a 7 to 7 committment Monday through Friday with the occasional mandatory weekend meeting.

When I was in high school, classes started at 7:20. And I had a one hour bus ride to get there.

No pity here. Welcome to the real world. Now grow up and quit whinning.

[TomorrowNeverKnows]

55. I'm afraid it's not quite that simple,

Adults are fully grown are are able to handle earlier start times a lot easier than teens. We, however, are still growing and changing, and early get-up times really interfere with that, and that makes it harder to function in school. Trust me, it's not an issue of being spoiled.

[Coyote_Bandit]

63. Generations

before you have had to rise early. They all managed to adapt. So have many of your contemporaries. You are no less capable than they.

Have you considered the possibility of going to bed earlier? Try it. Give it some time - at least three weeks. Your body will adjust to the hours.

I didn't say you were spoiled. I said you were whining. And now you are making excuses and trying to defend and justify your whining.

Most people do not have the power and ability to determine their work/school schedule. That would include you. That suggests that the question you should be asking is how you can best function given the schedule you are required to keep. Nobody with the power to change that schedule really cares whether you like or approve of it - or what you might suggest as an alternative. Your future boss probably won't much care either.

Outside of school and other commitments you can determine when you sleep and how long you sleep. If you rise at 5:30 you will have an hour and a half to shower, dress, eat breakfast and get to school. Unless you have a long commute that should provide ample time. If you go to bed at 9 pm then you will get about 8 and a half hours of sleep each night. If you stay up until 11pm then you are only going to get about 6 and a half hours of sleep each night. And, yes, I know several adults who routinely go to bed at 9 or earlier every night in order to be at work early the next morning as required.

There is nothing wrong with going to bed early if you are required to rise early. If you are unwilling to retire early then perhaps you should consider that your attitude is as much to blame as the schedule which has been imposed on you. You really don't have to stay up and watch tv. You really don't have to live your life based on what you think someone else might think of your lifestyle choices. It is your responsibility to learn how to manage your time and fulfill your needs and commitments within the twenty-four hours that are available to each of us every day. If you are unable to fulfill your commitments and go to bed a bit earlier then perhaps you should consider whether you are using your time well or whether you have overextended yourself with work and extra-curricular activities.

Adapt.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

70. Someone who doesn't understand what it's like to be a night person

When I was in grade school, my mom put me to bed at 8PM, with the rule that I could read till 8:30. I was NEVER able to go to sleep right away. I usually lay awake for an hour or two, no matter what.

This was for a 7:00AM wake-up.

[Coyote_Bandit]

73. You assume too much

I am a night person. Left to my own I would never retire for the evening before at least 1 am and I would never arise in the morning until after 8 am. My favorite time of "day" is between 3 and 4 am. I will always resent having to arise before sunrise. Unfortunately, work and school and life in general often doesn't accommodate those preferences particularly well. Night folks have to learn to adapt.

I suggested going to bed earlier. I could just as easily have suggested taking a daily nap. Or keeping an alternative schedule (e.g., go to bed at 4 pm and sleep until 1 am or so). There are alternatives and ways to adapt. Of course, one has to WANT to adapt and make a sincere long term effort to do so - and that isn't exactly the stuff of being put to bed early against one's wishes.

It is worth noting that the focus of this thread has been the scheduled school starting time and whether it interferes with the sleep requirements of students. This ignores extra-curricular and work obligations taken on by many students - particularly high schoolers. There are 168 hours in a week. If a kid sleeps 9 hours a day and spends an average of 4 hours per day grooming, dining, and commuting to and from various obligations then they only have 77 hours remaining during the week for all other commitments and activities. A kid that spends 30 hours a week at school, spends 10 hours a week studying and doing homework, works another 20 hours a week, maintains an active social life, is involved in some extra-curricular (or church or benevolent or hobby) activities, and spends a minimum amount of time with his/her family is probably overextended. They don't have any downtime. Is there any wonder that these kids have difficulty completing household chores? Is the school to blame for tired overextended kids? No! But, unfortunately, kids and parents often are not up to the challenge of employing the life skills of setting priorities and boundaries and appropriately managing available time.

There doesn't seem to be any consequences attached to those 82 tardies. Perhaps if there were some of these kids would suddenly develop the motivation and the self-discipline to make the lifestyle changes required to adapt to the hours they are required to keep. When I was in high school 3 tardies were considered an absence. Those 82 tardies would translate into over 27 absences and would provide the perpetually tardy with the opportunity to repeat that year of high school. We had an incentive to get our tired and sleepy asses out of bed in the morning and be in class when school started. That appears to be lacking here.

I would suggest that those who lack the motivation and self-discipline to adapt to a schedule they cannot control just might find military service provides them with such basic skills. It would probably also be helpful in determining priorities, setting boundaries and acquiring time management skills.

I've no doubt that the kids of today are well able to meet - and exceed - the challenges that face them - largely without the need for external authority. We do them a disservice to push (or allow or enable) them to overextend themselves. We also do them a disservice by pretending that the world (including school schedules) ought to conform to their preferences. We don't always get what we want. Nobody does. Learning to accept and adapt to that is part of growing up.

[Odin2005]

53. Fortunately my school's start time was at least reasonable (8:30AM to 3:15PM).

And I lived only 2 blocks from school. But I grew up in a very rural school district and the farm kids had to get up at ungodly early times to catch the bus.

[Pharlo]

54. High School

Back in the '80's - Southeastern WI: 7:15 am start time. 6:15 am bus pick up.

Work now: 7:00 am start time with a one hour commute.

I'm not a morning person either. I can sympathize.

[WinkyDink]

60. Yeah; I TAUGHT high school English then. Try THAT!

[PittPoliSci]

62. i never could get used to those classes that started before 10:30 am.

[Reverend_Smitty]

64. As a night owl, I feel your pain...

When I was in high school we had to be in class by 7:50 and school was over at 2:30 and I thought that was tough. Fortunately I lived less than a half a mile from school which made my commute easy enough especially after I got my car. I college I had to deal with a handful of 8am (the earliest class time at my University) and in grad school it was all night classes (which was excellent).

Now I'm in a job where I rarely have to be in before 11am but the trade off is I work most weekends and other odd hours.

Unfortunately you have to live with that time for the next year or so but in college you can pick classes to fit your lifestyle

[Born_A_Truman]

65. 7:00 sharp for my hubby's first period

He gets up at 4:30 every day and feeds the animals (horses, pot belly pigs) on the way out, many times in the dark. I don't know how he does it!

[Orsino]

67. Seems crazy-early to me, too, but the other obvious questions are:

When does the regular school day end? How early are you able to get home? Is something keeping you from getting to sleep by 9:00?

I know I loved staying up as late as I could to maximize my "me" time, but that meant that every couple of weeks I would crash, hitting the hay as soon as I could get home, and sleeping straight through until morning. My morning began at 7:00 back then, with school starting at about 8:30.

My stints in teaching and the Army trained me to earlier hours, and nowadays I'm at work at 7:00. It does mean that I have to be horizontal before 9:00 so as to be able to get up before 5:00.

[Deep13]

68. Make sure you have time to unwind before going to sleep. nt

[BeachBaby]

69. My 7th grader catches his bus at 6:45am.....

which means we get up at 5:45am. His classes start at 7:40am. It's absolutely ridiculous.

[LibDemAlways]

71. My daughter's hs has a voluntary "0" period that starts at

7:20, but 1st period isn't until 8:30. She has a friend who tried the 0 period this year and was late so many times that she was punished with Saturday trash pick-up and threatened to be "drop-failed." Daughter is a night owl and there is no way she'd make it to a 7:20 class. I'm sure it's fine for some, but definitely not for everybody.

[rcrush]

72. Thats how early my HS was.

I almost flunked out cause I was so damn tired all the time. Teachers loved yelling at me for being so tired to. I didnt have a car either so I had to be at the bus stop at 6:15 every day! God I hated High School.

[snooper2]

74. just preparing you for the real World :)

Wait till you have to be at work at 8:00A.M Mon-Fri with no "summer break" for 50 years

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[One_Life_To_Give]

76. But we could be to work by 2PM

We started about that time when I was in High School. I was lucky and could go to the Arcade before being at work for 4:30. But a number of my friends used to start their jobs at 2pm. So the early start had it's advantages.