Decision Finally Made on Whether to Start Guilford Schools Later

GUILFORD, CT - After years of debating the pros and cons of changing school start times to allow older kids more time to sleep, the Board of Education voted on Monday night to push back the start time for high school, middle school and elementary schools starting this September.

The Board voted 5-4 to move GHS start time to 15 minutes to 7:40 am, delay middle school openings by 10 minutes, and delay elementary school openings by five minutes.

Four members voted only to move GHS start time from 7:25 to 7:30 and continue to study the issue through next year.

At the school board's June Meeting, Board of Education Chairman William Bloss said that a task force that has studied the issue closely has submitted a recommendation to the full board that the high school start time be moved ahead 15 minutes, to 7:40; the middle school time moved 10 minutes ahead; and, move the elementary school start time ahead five minutes and the end time ahead five minutes.

School Superintendent Dr. Paul Freeman said he believes the recommendation of the task force provides for situation where a "relatively minor change can add up to an additional substantial number of hours of sleep for some students."

Freeman said he views this latest proposal as the best solution and most palatable compromise suggested so far. He added there would be no additional financial cost to the town incurred by this plan.