- Sep 11, 2021
- 2 min read

Let them sleep in???

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that most American adolescents start school too early![1]

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving students the opportunity to get the amount of sleep they need. The CDC is also promoting later start times for middle and high school students.[2] And earlier this Spring, HealthDay writer Robert Preidt reported on the most recent results of an annual survey of about 28,000 elementary, middle and high school students and their parents. The results showed that “[s]tarting the school day a little later helps middle and high school students get more and better sleep”.[3]

According to the CDC, during puberty, changes in biological rhythms result in kids getting sleepy later and waking up later. Waking earlier is primarily a result of school start times. During the school week, adolescents just don’t get enough sleep. And adolescents who don’t get enough sleep can experience a whole host of problems, including weight gain, not enough physical activity, depression, unhealthy risky behaviors (like taking drugs or drinking alcohol) and underperforming in school.

We’re listening! Mayacamas Charter Middle School will start the day at a very reasonable 8:50am. However, we families who require early drop off, students can arrive at 7:55am and have breakfast, do homework, and (depending on funding) potentially take an optional specialty elective. The later start time for those few extra winks of sleep paired with Advisory first thing every day to help transition our kids from home to school, and longer core class times to help facilitate a deeper dive into the substance of the material, are just a few of the things that will help facilitate a successful middle school experience.

Here’s a sample bell schedule:

Let them sleep in???

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