School board pushes start time back at La Cañada High to 8:30 a.m.
La Cañada High School students will be able to take back their mornings starting this fall, after the La Cañada school board voted unanimously Tuesday to shift the campus’ start time from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
The decision to try the schedule change for a one-year period was made in a special meeting convened to let board members review data collected from a survey of district parents and students. Responses indicated an overwhelming majority of support for pushing back the schedule to allow teens more brain-nourishing sleep, according to board member Brent Kuszyk.
“There’s definitely support for this,” said Kuszyk, whose daughter Ali will be an incoming freshman in 2017-18. “My daughter’s very happy — a lot of the kids are.”
Tuesday’s meeting was an opportunity for the board to take into consideration the many impacts the shift will have on parents, teachers and students, especially student athletes who already miss class time to travel to away games.
As such, LCUSD has agreed to enter into a memo of understanding with the La Cañada Teachers Assn. to assist student athletes with missed class time. It was determined buses transporting athletes to other schools for games may be able to leave a bit later, according to Governing Board President Dan Jeffries.
“We also asked if we could flag student athletes at registration so as to minimize fifth-period missed class time,” Jeffries said in an email interview. “That may have some limitations since other schedule issues are involved, but we will look at it.”
Other adjustments made to passing periods and morning announcements will mean the school day next year ends only 15 minutes later than other schools in the Rio Hondo League.
LCUSD’s decision came the same day that Senate Bill 328 — a proposal by state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) that would mandate California middle and high schools begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. — passed the Senate and is moving on to the state Assembly.
“I am very proud to see such an important public health bill moving to the state Assembly,” the senator said in a statement. “The best interest of our children needs to come first and by passing this legislation, the state Senate sends a strong message that it believes in that mission.”
Twitter: @SaraCardine
