RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (WABC) — High school students at Ridgewood may get extra sleep time, but likely won’t until next school year.
The Board of Education in Ridgewood, New Jersey, will vote Monday on an ordinance to implement a later schedule for high school students.
The high school principal wants to move the start time 35 minutes later, from 7:45 a.m. to 8:20 a.m.
This would make the end of the school day just 15 minutes later, ending at 3:05pm instead of 2:50pm. There will still be an optional 9th ​​hour for those who need extra help.
There was a full presentation on the board about the amount of sleep teenagers need, which is nine hours a day. It has been found that teenagers’ natural circadian rhythms make them stay up later and need more rest in the morning.
Officials say it’s all in an effort to help high school students become more focused and aware in the morning.
“We’ve talked to a lot of our teachers and they’ve said that first thing in the morning, fortunately we have a rotation, but they tell you that first thing is tough,” said Ridgewood High School Principal Jeff Nyhuis.
Later school starts are already in effect in districts in Bergen and Morris counties.
For now, it will only affect nearly 1,800 high school students. The proposal to change the high school schedule has been postponed for now. The plan could be implemented by the 2024-2025 school year.
Ridgewood pediatrician Anne Robinson also presented the plan. The district conducted a long-term study of the effects of later school starts on high school students’ sleep-wake patterns following recommendations from several children’s health organizations about its benefits for teenagers.
Lawmakers in New Jersey are considering legislation to make 8:30 a.m. the earliest allowable school start time for schools that receive public aid, but the bill is still in committee.
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