Dhara Patel

May 15, 2015

Periods 1&2

Mr. Lillis
From Zzz's to A’s : Delaying School Times

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," Nelson
Mandela once explained. School is an essential part of a student's’ life. Starting school later than usual is something students could hugely benefit from. Students have to go to school early, spend hours listening to teachers, then go to practices and meetings after school, and then come home with loads of homework to complete for the next day. They are simply not getting enough sleep
– staying awake until 2 a.m. doing nothing, but homework. Overwhelming research has shown that young adults, especially those between ages fourteen and early twenties, can benefit tremendously from starting their day later. Delaying when school starts is an efficient idea.
Having school start later benefits students, teachers, and parents. More sleep, especially for teens, helps them focus better. This can also lead to less tardiness, better academic performance, and fewer attention difficulties (Cheshire 2). If you want your child to be a successful student, then delaying the time of when school starts is the right way to make it happen. If the student's’ parents are tired of nagging them out of bed in the morning, it won't be a problem anymore. Furthermore, teachers, who have to wake up at 5 am, just to get everything prepared, will also get an extra hour or two of sleep. If the school day delays, by even as little as thirty minutes, there will be results in higher performing students with better grades, enhanced alertness, improved attitude in school, better health, and less absenteeism/tardiness.
I understand that it may cost tons of money for hiring more bus drivers, etc, but what is more important; money or your health? I agree that it will cost a lot of money, but being healthy

is more important. Doctors say that lack of sleep in adolescents causes poor academic performance and poses a serious public health concern (Cheshire 2). This can show how paying less attention in class can lead to lower grades. Additionally, teens need at least 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep and because of homework and extracurricular activities, they are not getting enough sleep on school days. Sleep helps you focus better and concentrate more. More sleep at the appropriate time for teenagers will also result in healthier athletes. As teenagers move through puberty and young adulthood, sleeping patterns change. Especially the ones that are in their early twenties, humans experience a sleep­phase delay in their biological clocks, also known as their circadian rhythm. A circadian rhythm is the physical, mental, behavioral changes that follow a
24­hour­cycle. It is important to you because it determines your sleep patterns (National
Institutes of Health). Sleeping is an adequate habit and should be continuously followed. “A good night’s sleep is as important as exercise and diet,” says Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health (Powell). Getting enough r sleep is essential to your health.
Later school start times can affect after­school activities. Administrators say the school day needs