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> 5) Elementary begins at 9:00 a.m. Middle begins at 8:00am. Wait, what? What places have older kids start school earlier? Why would you do that? Almost every

by akavi 12y ago

> 5) Elementary begins at 9:00 a.m. Middle begins at 8:00am. Wait, what? What places have older kids start school earlier? Why would you do that? Almost every 7 year old I've ever known naturally woke up at the crack of dawn. Almost every 16 year old I've ever known would sleep till noon if you let them. My school district had older kids start school later (7:45 for elementary, 8:30 for middle, 9:15 for high), and that seems fairly sensible.

lastofus 12y ago
Most schools do this. I once heard it's to make room for sports after school, as jr. varsity and varsity teams start to become a big deal.
scott_s 12y ago
I think your district is the exception. In mine (Fairfax County, Virginia), high school started at 7:20 am, and it was brutal. I don't recall the exact time middle and elementary school started, but middle was later, and elementary was last. One benefit was that the same buses could be used for high school, middle and elementary, saving money. Fairfax apparently recently changed (or will change) for high school to start at 8 am. That's still earlier than I think is civilized, but it's an improvement. (One that I would have welcomed as a high school student.)
JoshTheGeek 12y ago
Where I live, elementary starts at 8, middle starts at 9, and high school starts at the wonderful time of 7:30. The transition from middle school to high school was especially painful. I wish we used the times your district used; they make so much more sense than ours.
UrMomReadsHN 12y ago
From what I've seen is it is pretty random who starts earlier in each school district. One district in my home town had younger kids start earlier and another had older kids start earlier. Both districts have after school activities and sports.
superuser2 12y ago
> Why would you do that? There is a surprisingly persistent belief that waking up (and going to bed) early is more moral. That it's somehow related to responsibility, work ethic, strength of character, etc. Proposals to start school later are often dismissed on the basis that students are just whining about the character-building that they ought to be subjected to. Staying out late and sleeping in are both signifiers of irresponsibility/laziness and things that parents and parent-like figures discourage. Despite the fact that, so long as you are doing both at the same time, you're still getting adequate sleep and probably just as healthy (if not healthier).

by akavi 12y ago

lastofus 12y ago

Most schools do this. I once heard it's to make room for sports after school, as jr. varsity and varsity teams start to become a big deal.

scott_s 12y ago

I think your district is the exception. In mine (Fairfax County, Virginia), high school started at 7:20 am, and it was brutal. I don't recall the exact time middle and elementary school started, but middle was later, and elementary was last. One benefit was that the same buses could be used for high school, middle and elementary, saving money. Fairfax apparently recently changed (or will change) for high school to start at 8 am. That's still earlier than I think is civilized, but it's an improvement. (One that I would have welcomed as a high school student.)

JoshTheGeek 12y ago

Where I live, elementary starts at 8, middle starts at 9, and high school starts at the wonderful time of 7:30. The transition from middle school to high school was especially painful. I wish we used the times your district used; they make so much more sense than ours.

UrMomReadsHN 12y ago

From what I've seen is it is pretty random who starts earlier in each school district. One district in my home town had younger kids start earlier and another had older kids start earlier. Both districts have after school activities and sports.

superuser2 12y ago

> Why would you do that? There is a surprisingly persistent belief that waking up (and going to bed) early is more moral. That it's somehow related to responsibility, work ethic, strength of character, etc. Proposals to start school later are often dismissed on the basis that students are just whining about the character-building that they ought to be subjected to. Staying out late and sleeping in are both signifiers of irresponsibility/laziness and things that parents and parent-like figures discourage. Despite the fact that, so long as you are doing both at the same time, you're still getting adequate sleep and probably just as healthy (if not healthier).