Woburn School Committee Members Want Later High School Start Time

WOBURN, MA — Multiple Woburn School Committee members are interested in shifting high school start times later, they said at a recent meeting.

While discussing future business at the committee's June 8 meeting, John Wells called for the committee to start talking about changing start times, as first reported by the Daily Times Chronicle.

Wells cited scientific research showing that adolescents naturally sleep later and should not start their days as early as traditional school start times require.

"They've actually started showing in school systems the difference it makes," Wells said.

Other Middlesex League schools have already made the change, as have other districts around the state. Andover Public Schools approved a change June 17 shifting all school level start times later beginning in the fall.

Wells noted that even if they begin discussions soon, the change is unlikely to come in either of the next two school years.

Committee member Andrew Lipsett, who is a high school teacher, agreed with Wells.

"I saw it very personally during the pandemic," Lipsett said. "The thing high school students really relied on is that some days they got to sleep later."

The full meeting is available here from Woburn Public Media Center.

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