School Proposes Weekly Late-Start Day

Next year, most students may not have to come to school until 11:30 once a week.

The school has requested permission for the schedule change and expects to find out in January whether Fulton County Schools has approved it.

Assistant Principal Amy Price said the late-start day would bring a number of intended benefits, such as allowing sophomores, juniors and seniors the chance to sleep in once a week.

Some students said they welcomed the possibility of extra sleep.

“I fall asleep in the first two periods anyway,” said freshman Taylor Krokoff.

Price said the modified schedule would also give teachers more professional time to plan, grade or collaborate. As of now, teachers have only one planning period and five classes.

“You have to plan at some point,” said Price.

Social studies teacher Mark Schuler, who is also chairman of the school’s scheduling committee, said increasing planning time would be favorable and productive for teachers.  

“I think it will give teachers more time,” said Schuler. “If we do this, we have to hold that time as sacred as possible.”

If the change is approved, sophomores, juniors and seniors would still attend all their classes on the late-start day, but the periods would only last about 30 minutes.

Junior Ellie McGowan said she favors the proposal. “If we don’t come for eight hours, we don’t have to do all that busywork,” she said.

However, not all students share this opinion.

“With the amount of work I have, I don’t think 30-minute classes would help me,” said junior Zachary Corcoran. “I would have to wake up at the same time to do my work in the morning.”

Some students shared concerns regarding transportation. If the request is approved, it will require buses to run at both the normal time for freshmen and the later time for sophomores, juniors and seniors, said Price.

“Poor bus drivers would never get a break,” said senior Lauren Cashman.

While sophomores, juniors and seniors would come in later, the freshman would still be required to attend at the regular time.

This extra time would be filled with specialized classes for the ninth graders, said Price. Some examples might include study skills, academic support high school planning or guest speakers.

“It would be beneficial for freshmen to get a couple hours with just freshmen,” said junior Carter Wood.

Although this request for flexibility is still in the works, it could have major implications for future school years. However, “the district could say no to all of them,” said Price.

It’s expected that a 30 day public comment period regarding proposed requests will begin in early November. This time period will allow anyone to voice their opinion on the proposed changes.

Each year, schools can submit requests for flexibility, which if approved, would allow individual schools to get around county regulations.

At Cambridge, previously approved requests for flexibility allow the school to waive the personal fitness requirement for students participating in a varsity sport, make the PSAT date a half day and create additional professional development days, which students have off.

Recently, the school also submitted requests regarding off-campus lunch for seniors and businesses serving food within the cafeteria.