East students collectively agree that school starting at 7:20 is absurd and is negatively affecting their learning. While Naperville Central students get to wake up later on Wednesdays for a late arriving school day.
At Oswego East school starts at 7:20 and ends at 2:26 but at Naperville central Highschool they usually start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m. on a regular day which is already later than our regular school day. On Wednesdays they start at 9 a.m. for late arrival.
This is to provide dedicated time for staff professional development, collaborative planning, and continuous instructional improvement. Along with giving students the opportunity to sleep in and feel ready to learn.
Students are all in for the idea of school starting later to benefit their sleep schedules and energy levels throughout the day.
What students don’t like is the dismissal time. Some think that 3:10 is too late and they are unable to do other activities after school.
East student Brooke Schmudde fancies the idea of having late arrival days on Wednesdays for it gives the students and teachers a break and a way to stay organized and productive.
“I think changing the schedule could help students remain more focused and productive,” Schmudde said.
She also pointed out Naperville central as an example with the 9 a.m. Wednesday starts, with teachers using the earlier time for collaboration.
East assistant dean Jim Caliendo believes having one later morning each week could benefit both students and teachers. He also believes the current end time of 2:26 p.m. is reasonable because ending much later could make the school day too long for students.
A later school day would not necessarily mean East needs to completely change its school day. The school could start by trying one late arrival day each week, similar to Naperville central.
Caliendo brings attention to the opportunity for students and staff to see whether or not the cage improves focus. Productivity and teacher collaboration.
“A later start would allow teachers to complete morning meetings immediately rather than after school,” Caliendo said.
He also explains how the teachers who coach sports could go directly to practice instead of supervising students during athletic study hall.
For many students, starting the day a little later could mean walking into the first period feeling less tired and more ready to learn.
Written by Junior Agatha Miller. Edited by Abigail Messerges and Ally Hanneman.