Could Hopewell Valley Central High School follow the lead of Princeton High School and begin the school day later? Possibly, but there are budget implications that have to be considered, school district officials said.
The issue was raised at a recent school board meeting by school board President Alyce Murray, who said she received many email messages from parents after they learned that Princeton High School will begin the day at 8:20 a.m. The change will take effect this September.
“There are a lot of logistical issues that we have to hurdle,” Murray said. Starting the school day later in the morning at the high school would have an impact on after-school activities, because they would start and end later.
Revising the starting time for Hopewell Valley Central High School, which is currently 7:45 a.m., has been discussed over the years, but there are logistical issues that have to be considered, Murray said.
There is support for starting classes later than the current 7:45 a.m. starting time. The research is “overwhelming” that teenagers need more sleep and that they tend to go to bed later, she said.
But to make the change, she said, school districts have to be respectful of everyone involved. It would be good to do additional research, perhaps even looking at the experiences of other school districts and how they accomplished it, according to Murray.
For example, the Princeton Public School District is spending more money for busing, Murray said, so there could be financial implications. Starting classes later for the high school is something that should be discussed during the budget process, she said.