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Attend Webster's start school later conferences. They inform you on new information they have found and where they are currently in the process. Many doctors and scientists attend these meetings to help us better understand adolescent brains.

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He is looking to talk ro 1000 students about starting school later and their opinions. Let him know yours to help him meet his goal!

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Find out who your senator is and send them a quick email with your ideas or opinion.

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Starting School Later Follow-up Conference     June 05, 2018

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Starting School Later Follow-up Conference     June 05, 2018

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Early Fall Board Vote:

If voted YES, the transition team with begin

9th and 10th Graders:

85% in favor of later start

11th and 12th Graders

70% in favor, most students would be concerned about their jobs or sports

School days may be shortened by 20-25min

Elementary: 7:45am-2:15pm

Secondary: 8:45am-3:15pm

Four Important Numbers

96% is Webster graduation rate

90% of students continue onto college

29% of students felt sad for 2+ weeks in 2017, making it hard for them to do homework

25% of students are on prescription drugs for anxiety, depression and stress

Webster Schools would have to buy 10-12 more buses and hire more drivers

Main concern is elementary students getting home before older siblings or parents

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Email to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

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Email to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

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Hello Mr. Schumer/Mrs. Gillibrand!
My name is Molly McCartan and I am a Senior at Webster Schroeder High School. For one of my classes, Citizens in Action, our final project was to be active citizens in an issue that is important to us. The topic that I chose is starting high schools at a later time. Sleep deprivation in adolescents is crucial to brain development and with some schools starting as early as 7:30am, such as Webster Schroeder and Thomas, students are not receiving the proper amount of sleep. Me, now a senior and graduating in a few weeks I wish that school started later throughout my high school career, I remember waking up for school exhausted, missing plenty of days from anxiety and depression, and being tardy due to me falling back asleep. Melatonin, a brain chemical which induces drowsiness is not produced in a teenagers brains until approximatley 11:00pm, and adolescents need about 8 to 9.5 hours of sleep a night for proper development. I asked 20 students from each grade and each gender how many hours of sleep they got on average on school nights and most students only got about 6 to 7.5 hours tops. Lack of sleep in our teenage years can lead to an increased risk of car accidents and many physical and emotional health problems. For example students may have poor attention spans, decreased school performances and low attendance and could also lead to the development of obesity, diabetes and even heart disease in adulthood. Based on many case studies and research that I have read and looked at during the course of my project, I have found more negatives to the current start time in schools and more positives when districts changed their start times to 8:30am. I would like to know if there are any bills or policies focused on what time school starts around our area and what you think should be done about the issue. Thank you so much for your time and I hope to hear back to you soon.

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Average Hours of Sleep on School Nights Based on Grade and Gender.

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Average Hours of Sleep on School Nights Based on Grade and Gender.

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Mr. Gumina talked to 920+ high school students and the average amount of sleep for Webster students was only 6.5 hours.

Only 1-10 Webster students get the recommended amount of sleep on school nights.
On weekends, students usually get between 12-14 hours catching up on sleep.

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HB 2245 by U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-California)

Directs the U.S. Secretary of Education to study, report on and make recommendations related to the "relationship between school start times and adolescent health, well-being, and performance."

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SB328, introduced by Sen. Anthony Portantino (D)

"would require the school day for middle schools and high schools to begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m." The bill has been approved by the state Senate and by committees of the state Assembly. The legislation could come up for a full vote in 2018.”

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State lawmakers increasingly recognize the need for safe, healthy, and developmentally-appropriate school hours, and they're working toward that goal in a variety of ways. Bills to study,...

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Initial Interview:                                   Mr. Carmen Gumina                  (Superintendent) 

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Initial Interview:                                   Mr. Carmen Gumina                  (Superintendent) 

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Mr. Gumina wants the district to push start times because he knows that teenagers brains are not fully developed and a lack of sleep affects students physical and emotional health. He would like to swap the elementary times which currently starts at 8:30am with the high school at 7:30am. Some negative aspects to pushing start times are that taxpayers might complain about paying for more buses, parents with young children do not like change and the districts budget might be decreased.

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Future Changes in our School District

Recommendations are going to be made to the board in August,  but changes wouldn't occur until September 2019.

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Sleep deprivation is a major problem for teenagers all over the country. With schools starting so early, most of us can not get the appropriate amount of sleep to succeed. Teenagers in high school need approximately 9-9.5 hours of sleep a night, but research shows that most only get about 7.5 or less. Drowsiness affects many teenagers grades and attendance also. students health and their mental health. Establishing a new law or policy for all high schools to start no later than 8:30 a.m. will ensure that teenagers are acquiring an adequate amount of sleep not only for their health, but for their academic careers.

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Teens don’t get enough sleep, and it’s not because of Snapchat, social lives or hormones -- it’s because of public policy, says Wendy Troxel. Drawing from her experience as a sleep researcher, clinician and mother of a teenager, Troxel discusses how early school start times deprive adolescents of sleep during the time of their lives when they need it most.

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Professional Interview:                        Mr. Enrico Caiola (Pediatrician)

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Professional Interview:                        Mr. Enrico Caiola (Pediatrician)

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Mr. Caiola is a pediatrician and knows a lot about what is healthy for adolescent brains. Lack of sleep can lead to an increased risk of car accidents and a range of health problems. These problems range from poor attention span, decreased school performance and could lead to the development of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in adulthood. An adequate amount of sleep helps improve concentration, memory and our ability to learn new things.