If it were up to one parent in the Huron Valley School District, the district would be working on a way to push back the start time for high schools.
He has been circulating a petition online for other parents to support. The district’s high schools currently begin daily at 7:00 am.
“We know that there is research out there to indicate that a later start time for students, particularly high school students, could be beneficial to their learning,” said district spokesperson Kim Root. “We know there are many school districts that are looking at their start times. We would certainly be open to considering the research, looking at it over a period of time.”
Root told 7 Action News there are 2 high schools, another high school within a high school, and an alternative school in the district. Root said there is a lot to consider before changing the daily start time.
“We have 16 school buildings currently,” said Root. “We have three bus runs right now: one high school, one for middle school, and one for elementary and so to do so it takes some planning and some long lead time to do that. So there are those considerations that come into play whenever you look at changing any start times.”
Right now, the district is not considering the move.
7 Action News tried to contact Liam White, the parent listed as creating the petition. He is untraceable in the Milford area under that name.
Root instead offers advice for parents who support a change in start time.
“I have five children and I remember that they didn’t always want to go to bed at bed time,” said Root. “Our best advice, as much as possible… remove the electronics from them, set a standard bed time that hopefully is not much past ten o’clock for teenagers, encourage them to get the right nutrition and sleeping because that more than anything contributes to their learning.”
