Changing the Bell Schedule
Let’s Re-Imagine the G.H.S. Bell Schedule
By America Jasmine Palomarez Ledesma and Omar
Looking around at our students on campus, we notice something they all have in common: they’re half asleep. According to a 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study, 93% of high schools and 83% of middle schools in the U.S. start before 8:30 a.m. The study establishes that not getting enough sleep is common among high school students and can lead to many health problems like mental health issues and continued sleep deprivation. Coincidently, the number one reason many students don’t get enough sleep is because school starts so early. Maybe even too early. Here at Greenfield High School, the school day starts at 8:00 am and ends at 2:59 pm.
But do the effects of an early start show on students? Ms. Frase, an English, Drama, and Journalism teacher at G.H.S. thinks so. Frase tells The Bruin’s Eye “I notice in my morning classes kids look exhausted or are staring into space, while kids in my afternoon classes seem more engaged and focused.” Frase explains the previous school where she worked students followed the “Block Schedule.” Frase elaborates “Students had four periods per day that lasted 90 minutes, a brunch, and the opportunity to take up to eight classes a year which allowed students to earn credits easier.” School started at 8:00 am and although classes were longer, school ended at 2:30, which allowed students to have much more energy to continue their studies. Students also had different classes in the Fall semester than they did in the Spring semester. The advantage of changing classes in January was that students would get a fresh set of classes, which means a new opportunity to do better in these classes, change of environment and learn more content in a year.
Jon Hoffman a new English teacher on our campus, has a different view on whether our current bell schedule has anything to do with student’s behavior. In his own words, Hoffman tells our reporters that “The students who are awake and ready to learn are more connected to family views about education, a student's own confidence in their academic abilities, and how relatable or engaging the content is of any given class. Little of that has to deal with the [school bell] schedule.” Hoffman states that the previous schools where he worked and our school have something in common: bathroom passes aren’t always used by students to actually go to the bathroom but just to get out of class. Hoffman explains how willing students are to remain in class is a matter of how much a student cares about school: “It depends if they care about grades and being in sports [which require eligibility, or not]. I have seen some incredibly hard workers and know that those students are going to do well.” Hoffman adds, “If the student gave up on school, I see that they are disconnected and there is little that can be done to incentivize them to re-connect with school.” Hoffman makes it known that his wish is to make The American Dream reachable for all his students, and he will do his part to achieve this. Both Frase and Hoffman have taught at other schools besides Greenfield High, yet they have different perspectives on how much the school schedule relates to student success. So what do our students think?
Students Suggestions
We can all agree that most of us are not early birds, especially for school. Current G.H.S. Sophomore, Destiny Pineda, told The Bruin’s Eye “I wish school started later so I would be able to get more sleep, it would honestly help me in my studies.” Pineda believes that a suitable time to start school would be at least 9:00 a.m. and that spending less time at school would help her have more time for her after-school activities. Pineda argues, “There is so much going on in a teen's life and because of the number of hours we spend at school, we don’t get the chance to get to everything.” This is true and although G.H.S. gives upperclassmen options for taking up to three open periods, this is not available to everyone, only those who meet academic requirements. Changing school hours would allow students to take advantage of the benefits of less class time without being worried about not qualifying. For example, Pineda would benefit because she has an after-school job that she must be punctual to report to on time.
When asked if he would like any changes to the bell schedule, current G.H.S Sophomore Gabe Mendoza told The Bruin’s Eye that he definitely would. Mendoza exclaims that a different bell schedule “would benefit me and other students because it would give us more time for extracurricular activities, homework, and after-school duties.” Mendoza continued to elaborate that he supports the idea of a later start time in the morning. Allowing him to sleep in more would help Mendoza to concentrate more on school and tests. He claims that changing the school times would be greatly beneficial: “I hope for the schedule [will] change, and for [it] to offer students with more breaks during the school year.” Mendoza assures us that his schedule would be less hectic with additional days added to breaks. For example, with an extra two days of spring break, Mendoza is certain he would be fully relaxed and recharged. Academically, he would do better in his classes and exams as a result of more rest.
The average number of days in a school year is about 180 across the country, including California. In 2023, the Pew Research Center, a non-profit research think tank known for informing the public about issues reported that within the U.S. the length of the school year and school day varies from state to state. Researchers find that “A minimum school year of 180 days has been the norm for a long time.” At G.H.S., this is also the case with 181 days in our school year. Having longer breaks throughout the school year would allow students to rest and recharge more frequently, reduce burnout, and provide more flexibility in scheduling other activities. Not only would G.H.S. students benefit from this change, but most high school students across the U.S. likely would also.
Research shows it is not only students at Greenfield who would like changes to the school year and school day, but many students across our nation feel the same way. In 2007 American Thoracic Society, a non-profit organization known for improving healthcare issues including sleep-related disorders published the aptly named article “Start School Later in the Morning, Say Sleepy Teens.” In this article, American Thoracic Society interviewed teens about their school experiences and report that “Surveyed teens said they do not feel alert while taking tests during early morning periods, and they do not think they can perform at their best during the early morning hours...most students said they thought the best time to take a test would be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.” Asking teens to come into school with a positive attitude and ready to learn at 7 am seems impossible considering most teens sleep late! Additionally, in 2021 Kids Health, an organization known for giving expert advice to parents on the health of their kids published the article “Sleep and Your Teen.” This article discloses that researchers who studied teens found that teens’ internal sleep clock shifts to a later bedtime. Specifically, scientists found that “The body releases the sleep hormone melatonin later at night in teens than in kids and adults. This resets the body's internal sleep clock so that teens fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning.” In other words, teens are medically proven to have different sleep schedules due to their age and body. But they still need their sleep. The same Kids Health report makes it clear: Sleep can better teens’ academic performance, mental health, and overall mood. Therefore, any student you ask would rather have more time to sleep in during the school week.
Improving Student Buy-In at G.H.S.
Research also backs this idea up. Recent studies done in 2023 by the American Psychological Association, an organization known for representing psychology in the United States published the article “Later school times promote adolescent well-being.” In fact, “Numerous studies have been done with schools that have shifted to later start times; while individual differences in communities and research methodology have led to different outcomes, results are almost always positive.” According to this research benefits observed from later high school start times include increased attendance rates, higher student GPA, state assessment scores, and college admissions test scores.
Moreover, mental health is better when students are at school less. The American Physiatrist Association states on its website that “Teens are notorious night owls – generally, they go to bed late in the evening and, when given the opportunity, wake up late in the morning. This tendency has biological and physiological roots. The sleep-wake cycle is governed by both the homeostatic drive for sleep (Process S) and the circadian rhythm (Process C).” In other words, sleep is important and has additional benefits, but due to teens having the habit of sleeping late and waking up early, they get less sleep than they did before their teenage years. Some crucial benefits of sleep include increased memory and emotional regulation. Loss of sleep can result in mood regulations and low information retention.
A school day that ends earlier frees up time when more extracurricular activities can be added at G.H.S. Not only will less school time motivate students to be better, but incorporating exciting school activities can also be an effective way to bring students together. Ms. Frase tells The Bruin’s Eye she hopes to see things such as food trucks, guest speakers, and community involvement added to the campus life at G.H.S. Frase adds “I believe these additions either during the school day or after school can help our students be happier to be involved in school.”
These activities offer students new opportunities as they learn the value of teamwork and make community connections. The National Center of Education Statistics which studies and makes available data related to education in the U.S. and other nations published the article on “Extracurricular Participation and Student Engagement.” Researchers who studied high schools find that, “Extracurricular activities provide a channel for reinforcing the lessons learned in the classroom.” The article adds that “Recent research suggests that participation in extracurricular activities may increase students' sense of engagement or attachment to their school, and thereby decrease the likelihood of school failure and dropping out.” The idea of being more well-engaged with your school makes students less likely to want to leave school and therefore helps them perform better.
Overall, students' success is the most important thing for schools. Considering some changes in school hours and adding more extracurricular activities can have many benefits for students and can help them achieve their goals.