MCPS High School 7:45am for teens is to early

[Anonymous]

I think it has to do with school zones and busing? The childcare/afterschool job explanation doesn't make much sense. Anyway PP I agree with you - 7:45 is very early. Also for some reason the bus drop-off times are still 7:25.

[Anonymous]

It stinks but there was massive effort put into this question about 5 years ago and the result was the 20 minute change. We certainly won’t make better progress given the bus driver shortage. I know a lot of people that drive their kids to HS rather than put them on the bus because it gives them another 15 minutes to sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine. They adjust.

No the don’t. Their circadian clock doesn’t adjust.

this is American BS. Teenage Humans around the world manage to get up early to go to school, work etc…. They go to bed earlier. Common denominator in the US is social media/screens and teens.

Found the idiot who thinks social media and screens are unique to America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine. They adjust.

No the don’t. Their circadian clock doesn’t adjust.

this is American BS. Teenage Humans around the world manage to get up early to go to school, work etc…. They go to bed earlier. Common denominator in the US is social media/screens and teens.

The world is a big place. Some teens take siestas in the afternoon. Some teens aren’t eating dinner until 9pm. Some teens don’t even go to school.

This thread is about the high school start time in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine. They adjust.

No the don’t. Their circadian clock doesn’t adjust.

Mine (who slept til 11:30 today) adjusted fine, as did I as a teenager. Woke up in the dark every morning, even earlier than necessary, to have enough time to do my hair. Not ideal, but we’re all doing just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine. They adjust.

No the don’t. Their circadian clock doesn’t adjust.

Mine (who slept til 11:30 today) adjusted fine, as did I as a teenager. Woke up in the dark every morning, even earlier than necessary, to have enough time to do my hair. Not ideal, but we’re all doing just fine.

No, they are tired and yes, it is not ideal. You contradicted yourself bc you know it needs to be later and you admit your kids slept till 11:30. Your time to fo your hair does not correlate to a study in the biology of teen sleep patterns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC parent here. Curious how this is for your teens. We are unhappy parents at a DC public school considering moving. The start time for DCPS High Schools is 9am which is one of the only things they do that is smart. How are your kids' sleep habits with such an early start. Most research points to the reverse schedule for (older kids need to start later) and curious why MCPS is set up like this. Not sure if this issue has come up before or if they are considering changing it?

MCPS Level Time Length of Day
High School 7:45 a.m.–2:30 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Middle School 8:15 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 6 hours, 45 minutes
Elementary School Tier 1 9:00 a.m.–3:25 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes
Elementary School Tier 2 9:25 a.m.–3:50 p.m. 6 hours, 25 minutes

What time did your high school start, OP? Did you go to a high school that started at 9 yourself? Or did it start earlier? If it started earlier, how did you manage to come out of the experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This start time is pretty typical everywhere. DC is the anomaly, and I love it for my kids.

Loudoun also has a reversed schedule. Our local highschool starts at 9:30am. The local elementary bus picks up the kids at 6:30am (which is ridiculous imo) and the school day (elem) starts at 7:15am.

The highschoolers don't get out of school until close to 4:30pm (4:20ish), then don't get home until close to 5:00pm. From what I've heard, those that do sports/activities/etc. and are academically motivated wind up going to bed after midnight by the time they fit in all of their commitments and homework. So the lack of sleep can be the same as those with an early schedule, just shifted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This start time is pretty typical everywhere. DC is the anomaly, and I love it for my kids.

Loudoun also has a reversed schedule. Our local highschool starts at 9:30am. The local elementary bus picks up the kids at 6:30am (which is ridiculous imo) and the school day (elem) starts at 7:15am.

The highschoolers don't get out of school until close to 4:30pm (4:20ish), then don't get home until close to 5:00pm. From what I've heard, those that do sports/activities/etc. and are academically motivated wind up going to bed after midnight by the time they fit in all of their commitments and homework. So the lack of sleep can be the same as those with an early schedule, just shifted.

No, their body clock dictates that around 11 pm is aligned with when they get tired to go to sleep. If you send a teen to bed at 9, they’ll just lie awake.

[Anonymous]

Normal due to bussing. Dc does not offer bussing to most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This start time is pretty typical everywhere. DC is the anomaly, and I love it for my kids.

Loudoun also has a reversed schedule. Our local highschool starts at 9:30am. The local elementary bus picks up the kids at 6:30am (which is ridiculous imo) and the school day (elem) starts at 7:15am.

The highschoolers don't get out of school until close to 4:30pm (4:20ish), then don't get home until close to 5:00pm. From what I've heard, those that do sports/activities/etc. and are academically motivated wind up going to bed after midnight by the time they fit in all of their commitments and homework. So the lack of sleep can be the same as those with an early schedule, just shifted.

No, their body clock dictates that around 11 pm is aligned with when they get tired to go to sleep. If you send a teen to bed at 9, they’ll just lie awake.

I don’t care of my kids lie awake. They go to bed when I tell them. Getting home that late means kids miss outside activities or have to do them before school. So, it’s swim at 4pm or swim at 4 am.

[Anonymous]

In an ideal world all schools would start between 8/830. This can’t happen because of how complicated our system is so this is what we have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine. They adjust.

No the don’t. Their circadian clock doesn’t adjust.

Its funny how the need to be at a job just a few years later makes it ok.

How many people have to be at work at 7:45 AM 5 days a week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine. They adjust.

No the don’t. Their circadian clock doesn’t adjust.

Its funny how the need to be at a job just a few years later makes it ok.

How many people have to be at work at 7:45 AM 5 days a week?

High school teachers 😂😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This start time is pretty typical everywhere. DC is the anomaly, and I love it for my kids.

Loudoun also has a reversed schedule. Our local highschool starts at 9:30am. The local elementary bus picks up the kids at 6:30am (which is ridiculous imo) and the school day (elem) starts at 7:15am.

The highschoolers don't get out of school until close to 4:30pm (4:20ish), then don't get home until close to 5:00pm. From what I've heard, those that do sports/activities/etc. and are academically motivated wind up going to bed after midnight by the time they fit in all of their commitments and homework. So the lack of sleep can be the same as those with an early schedule, just shifted.

No, their body clock dictates that around 11 pm is aligned with when they get tired to go to sleep. If you send a teen to bed at 9, they’ll just lie awake.

I don’t care of my kids lie awake. They go to bed when I tell them. Getting home that late means kids miss outside activities or have to do them before school. So, it’s swim at 4pm or swim at 4 am.

The horror or swimming at 4 pm!!!