School should start before 8 a.m.

Sophie Goers ’25 argues how students will benefit from school starting at an earlier time.

School+should+start+before+8+a.m.

Sophie Goers, WSS Intern
April 18, 2023

 

You finally get home, and it’s almost 9 p.m. You should be finishing your homework and getting ready for bed. But the reality is that you just got home and haven’t even opened the textbook.

School districts need to have school start earlier for high schoolers like it was before it changed in 2016. 

I have gymnastics practice four out of five weekdays. I get home around 8:45 every night I have practice. Then I have to eat dinner, shower, and do my homework so I don’t get behind. I often miss out on family time, and hanging out with my friends. Clare Allou ‘25 gets home from practice at 8:45 as well. She is also a gymnast and goes to practice four out of five weekdays. School starting earlier would make practice times start earlier, and end earlier, meaning you can get home and finish your homework sooner.

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I am mentally and physically drained from being unable to rest the whole day. When I think about doing homework, it makes me stressed because I know I won’t be able to rest for at least a couple more hours.

— Clare Allou '25

“I am mentally and physically drained from being unable to rest the whole day,” Allou said. “When I think about doing homework, it makes me stressed because I know I won’t be able to rest for at least a couple more hours.” After seven hours of school, then four hours of practice, it is exhausting and stressful when you have to do all your homework late at night, before being able to rest.

Students who play a school sport have to often leave school early so they can get to their game. Starting school earlier would help students miss less school when they leave for their sport and also get home earlier from their event. Missing seventh period can often be hard, especially when you miss the class more than once a month. Students will then have to teach themselves the material and do the homework. When you’re learning new material, it is very challenging and stressful when you have to figure it out yourself, and you can’t ask questions to understand.

If you don’t have plans or sports after school, you may not feel the need to wake up and go to school an hour earlier. Waking up earlier helps create good habits and will better prepare you for when you are an adult and may have a job. Many jobs start early in the morning, so it won’t feel like much of a big adjustment when you start working. 

While it seems impossible to get to school an hour earlier, it will be beneficial. Students will think it’s tough to get to school at 7:50, after starting at 8:50 for many years in the past. Getting to school at 7:50 would require students to get to bed earlier, and prioritize sleep. This is why the school board needs to reconsider the school start times.