Start Time Task Force

The Public Schools of Northborough & Southborough

Start Time Later Proposal

Start Time Task Force

• Steve Adriaansen Northborough Parent
• Ali Anwar Northborough Parent
• Lauren Bailey-Jones Northborough and Regional School Committee
• Rache Berk Peaslee School
• Pam Bishop Southborough Teachers Association (STA) Unit C Representative
• Nicole Boloz Neary School Teacher/Southborough Parent
• Michelle Brownlee Southborough Parent and Start Time Representative
• Andrea Ciaranello Southborough Parent
• Jacklyn Coutreau Southborough Parent
• Alana Cyr Proctor School Principal
• Melissa Farrell Peaslee School Teacher
• Jim Jolicoeur Interim Facilities, Operations & Transportation Administrator
• Michelle Karb Melican Middle School Principal
• Lisa Klein Trottier Middle School Teacher, STA Representative and Southborough Parent
• Keith Lavoie Trottier Middle School and Director of Operations
• Pamela Lorenzi Educational Support Professional

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Ten Schools, Three Districts, One Community of Learners

Start Time Task Force

• Gregory Martineau Superintendent
• Brian Mawson ARHS Teacher and Department Head
• Safdar Medina District School Physician and Southborough Parent
• Jeanette Morgan Finn School Teacher and Northborough Parent
• Liz Nolan ARHS Northborough Parent and NSPAC President
• Jennifer Persons Northborough Parent and Lincoln Street School PTO
• Kathleen Polutchko Regional School Committee
• Jennifer Primack Southborough School Committee
• Nicole Reineke Northborough Parent
• Clayton Ryan Finn School Principal
• Jennifer Scalise Northborough Parent
• Christina Smith ARHS Teacher and Algonquin Regional Teachers Association Co-President
• Mary Rose Steele ARHS Teacher and Northborough Parent
• Kerrie Toole Southborough Parent
• Jeffrey Turgeon Northborough Parent
• Rhoda Webb Interim Assistant Superintendent
• Jennifer Wright Lincoln Street School Principal

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Ten Schools, Three Districts, One Community of Learners

The Why?

• Better academic performance
• Fewer car accidents
• Fewer sports injuries & faster healing after concussions
• Reduced rates of depression, anxiety, & drug/alcohol use

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Why is a later start time important for teenagers?

Our Journey

• 2014 - Spring: Parent group shared its interest
• 2014 - Fall: Algonquin Study Group Formed
• 2015 - Winter: Findings presented to Christine Johnson, Superintendent
• 2015 - Spring: Exploring School Start Times presentation to Regional School Committee
• 2014 - 2017: School Committee Agendas: School Start Time
• 2018 - Spring: Starting School Later presentation to Northborough, Southborough, and Northborough-Southborough School Committees
• 2018 - 2019: Task Force established; Bus consultant hired (SBC)
• 2019 - 2020: Start Time Task Force

Start Time Task Force: Process

• Phased Approach
• Educate
• Options
• Feedback
• Recommendation

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Start Time Proposal as of May 30, 2020

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Schools with Significant Impact

Staff Survey

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Parent Survey

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#’s

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Highlights from Survey - Concerns & Questions

• Northborough Elementary Schools - Shortened School Day - restored
• High school and middle school students on the bus together
• ARHS start time not significant enough to make a difference
• Impact this will have on:
• athletic, music, and after-school programs
• Will this result in bus routing improvements or more problems?

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Adjustments to the Proposal Based on Feedback

• Northborough Elementary Schools returned to original times.
• 8:00 am is the start time of most high schools in region.
• With better routing we will be utilizing our buses to improve consistency of bus routes.
• We will not incur additional cost for proposal.

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Adjusted School Start Time for Recommendation

Next Steps - year of review and planning

• If approved, change will be implemented in the fall of 2021
• Routing - analysis - timing
• Adjustments to schools’ schedules
• Buses - North Reading Transportation (NRT)
• cameras
• improved GPS systems
• Ongoing communication with updates

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Recommendation

• Achieves a later start time at ARHS
• Health and wellness benefits
• Minimal impact to our remaining nine schools
• No additional cost to implement
• Significant support from educators and families who responded to the survey

To implement the Adjusted School Start Time Proposal in the fall of 2021.