Students are continually faced with the conflicting after school tasks of completing homework, engaging in clubs or athletics programs, maintaining a social life and most importantly, but often overlooked, getting the recommended amount of sleep each night. At a recent Syosset Board of Education meeting, discussion ensued regarding delaying the start time for the high school, asserting the notion that doing so may have certain positive effects on students’ performance and overall wellbeing.
“Nobody disagrees that students need more sleep,” said Syosset Superintendent Dr. Thomas Rogers. “There were a lot of people who attended the meeting. We had a very robust conversation, and what I took away was that there’s a lot of concern as to whether or not students are getting the recommended amount of sleep each night.”
On Monday, Oct. 17, board members, school staff, teachers, parents and students analyzed information and specific studies while discussing their opinions on the situation. The data presented two supporting bodies of thought—the medical research aspect and social science aspect.
The medical research focuses on developmental factors that account for changes in youths’ sleeping patterns, necessitating more hours of sleep per night. The optimal level of sleep for adolescents is 8.5 to 9.5 hours, but students in this age demographic are experiencing widespread sleep deprivation due to conflicts between their biological clocks and societal demands. This could potentially be linked to a higher prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders, and may hinder concentration, creativity, attentiveness and communication.
Social science research demonstrates that day-to-day social relations are affected by sleep patterns, and that healthier patterns are correlated with stronger interpersonal ties. This model asserts that when students are actively involved in the school they attend and feel as though they are a part of a body of social and academically-oriented people, they are more likely to have lower levels of sleep disruption. This sense of attachment and acceptance sets the groundwork for healthier circadian rhythms, and thus greater daily productivity.
In summation, both methodologies highlighted that more sleep is beneficial with regards to increased performance, greater attentiveness, enhanced social skills and less frequent tardiness. But is a later start time necessarily the solution?
Though both research methodologies are in agreement as to the importance of sleep, the two present slightly different recommendations moving forward. Medical research points to delaying the start time, while social science advocates for developing more meaningful connections and relationships that will be conducive to sound, uninterrupted sleep.
“Public opinion is completely mixed,” added Rogers. “There’s more discussion and research that must go on and we still have to see if the board gives any additional direction moving forward.”
Aside from the data, the board and community must also take into consideration external factors, such as bussing costs, class scheduling, extracurricular activity times, facility usage, after-school employment and child/family care responsibilities. A rough financial estimate indicated that transportation costs related to a changed start time could amount to roughly $3,879,993.
“Bussing becomes a problem because one bus can’t do two runs simultaneously,” said Rogers. “We could change the bus order, but then someone else has to go first, or we would need more busses, but this could all potentially double our current bussing costs.”
No conclusive decision was reached at the meeting, and it is likely that the matter will continue to be a point of discussion in future board of education meetings. Rogers concluded the discussion saying he would review feedback from the attendees and conduct additional research.
For more information including a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the subject, visit www.syossetschools.org.
