School Daze
December 18, 2008
Almost every high school student would love to hear the announcement that the school day will be starting later, especially during the winter when they will no longer have to wake up at 5:30, when it is still and their beds seem much more inviting then the idea of trudging to the bus stop or sitting in their ice cold cars. It is not an uncommon sight to see students in their sweatpants during school, walking around in a daze and complaining about how tired they are. Those students are making a statement in with their actions-they need more time to sleep in.
This desire for a later school day is not a matter of being lazy; studies have shown that teenagers need about 8-9 hours of sleep which many Neuqua Valley high school students can tell you they do not receive. Known for its extra-curricular activities, a majority of students at Neuqua have a packed schedule. Clubs and sports after school, part-time jobs, tutoring or ACT/SAT classes can take up almost all of the late afternoon, leaving students to come home to a high pile of homework and study guides to complete before they can finally hit the bed, only to wake up in a few hours and repeat the whole routine again. This lifestyle is not healthy for a growing young adult and is definitely not beneficial towards their studies.
Even if a student does not have two or three activities lined up after school, teenagers have been proven to be more inclined to sleep later then children and adults. Therefore, when they wake up without a sufficient amount of hours of sleep, they simply do not function as well. Many Psychologists have found that when young adults do not complete all of the sleep levels that humans are intended to go through, their minds are not as efficient as they could be.
Could higher academic achievements be seen at Neuqua if first period started later in the morning? With a sufficient amount of sleep, teenagers might comprehend what they learn in the classroom better, be more focused and overall have a more organized day.
Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said in a Neuqua Valley Parent Teacher Student Association meeting that “kids don’t want to go to bed at night and they don’t want to get up in the morning,” and admits that “the research is absolutely undeniable.”
Yes, late-arrival is offered but what happens to the students who are not willing to give up a class just to sleep in for an hour? Students who take a full schedule, all seven classes, should also have the opportunity to sleep in even if only for an extra hour or two. Many states, including Minnesota, have switched the schedules so that elementary schools start first, middle schools after, and then the high schools after. This trend so far seems to have had a positive affect, who knows if Neuqua will be soon to follow.
By Pallavi Bamzai, staff writer
