District 204 studying later start times

Some Indian Prairie Unit District 204 parents learned a lesson Thursday night that their students likely aren't hearing in their economics classes: students sleeping in may actually help the local economy by allowing more people to get to work on time.

Saying he was "thinking out loud," Superintendent Stephen Daeschner told about two dozen parents attending Thursday's Neuqua Valley Parent Teacher Student Association that the district is studying later start times.

"We know this and the research is clear as a bell. Your kids don't want to go to bed at night and they don't want to get up in the morning," he said. "And they'll do better if they start school later and get to stay up a little later. The research is absolutely undeniable."

He said Minnesota and several states have gone to a schedule that makes elementary schools start first, middle schools start second, and high school starting closer to 9 a.m. The trend hasn't been a big hit nationwide, however, because he said the schools are driven by athletics

"It's a terrible thing to say but we're driven by sports," he said. "Let's be honest."

The schools that have made the switch, he said, did it by moving many team practices to before school. But he warned the idea isn't very popular in District 204 circles.

"We've studied that, and I have the high school people on my cabinet not happy that we're studying it so I have work to do if we promote it," he said. "But I do believe it is advantageous for kids."

But it may be even more advantageous to adults running out the door to get to their desks on time.

"The traffic patterns I observe around here are pretty ugly between 6:30 to 7 or 8 a.m., especially if you're heading north," he said to a room full of nodding heads. "You can basically eliminate your high schoolers from that traffic pattern if you start later. Think about it."