Panel Suggests New Start Times For Barrington Schools
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A northwest suburban school district has laid out possible new start times that could give high school students more sleep.
Barrington Community Unit School District 220 has consulted with sleep experts, sent out questionnaires to parents, and held dozens of meetings about the potential schedule change.
An advisory panel has recommended students in the district start school no earlier than 8 a.m., and high schoolers in particular should start no earlier than 9 a.m.
The panel recommended three options for new start times at Barrington High School, to be presented to the school board next month: starting at 9 a.m., and ending at 3:18 p.m.; starting at 9:15 a.m. and ending at 3:33 p.m.; or starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 3:48 p.m.
The high school currently starts at 7:20 a.m.
The district's website includes a message from Stevenson High School principal Troy Gobble, discussing why his school is moving to an 8:30 a.m. start time next year.
"To give students more sleep time; number two, to give more time for our teachers to collaborate with their colleagues; and number three, to provide more time for students and teachers to meet," Gobble said.
The advisory panel also recommended elementary schools start their day at 8 a.m., an hour later than now; and middle schools start their day nearly at 8:50 a.m., nearly an hour later than now.
A final decision is not expected until April.