Andover Schools Again Considering Start Time Changes

ANDOVER, MA — The Andover School Committee is again seeking public input on school start times as it considers locking in the 8:15 a.m. high school start time used for the 2020-2021 school year.

The Committee held a virtual meeting Tuesday on the topic. Another is scheduled Thursday, and residents can also submit written feedback.

The School Committee began discussing a change to start times in 2018.

"The district began examining the issue of school start times based on the recommendation of many professional medical organizations that start times be delayed to 8:30 AM for adolescents in response to biological changes in sleep patterns and circadian rhythms during this stage of development," Committee Chair Susan McCready wrote in a letter to the community. "The key value of this initiative is to provide the opportunity for a positive impact on student well-being, and enhancing physical and mental health."

The push to change start times faced significant opposition, particularly from elementary school parents who opposed changes to start times for their children.

The committee ended up deciding not to change start times for the 2020-2021 school year at all — until the pandemic came along.

When students returned to school in the fall, the high school start time changed from 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., because the district could not bus those students with the required distancing in place. When busing returns to normal for the 2021-2022 school year, the district will need to consolidate start times back to two tiers, McCready wrote.

"The leading scenario under consideration for next year would have the start time at Andover High remain at 8:15 AM, move middle schools to the same 8:15 AM start for transportation efficiency and student health benefit, and shift elementary schools to a 9:00 AM start," she wrote. "This proposal was developed from stakeholder feedback received to date, and attempts to balance the scientifically proven benefits of later start times for middle and high school students with the goal of minimizing schedule impacts on elementary families."

Officials also discussed flipping elementary and secondary school start times; the Start Time Working Group issued a report on the various options in June 2020.

The feedback form, which will close Wednesday at noon, is available here. The second remote meeting is Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is available here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.