No Delay Yet For Andover School Start Time Changes

ANDOVER, MA — In a long meeting Thursday night, The Andover school committee decided isn't ready to delay changes to school start times. Committee member Paul Murphy proposed keeping current times in place through the 2020-2021 school year, but no one seconded his motion. The current goal is to have new start times in place next school year. Other committee members said they might decide to do so in the future, but they didn't want the process to lose its urgency.

The committee did, however, vote to set targets for the start time working group and the soon-to-be-formed parent advisory council. While she said that the targets would not be hard and fast limits, committee member Shannon Scully said that her proposed targets would help give the working group more focus. The committee passed the following motion:

"I move that the Andover school committee direct the start time working group to study in more depth specific bell time options that meet all five criteria:

1. Does not require bus-transported students to be picked up before 7 am
2. Does not require changes to private school bell times
3. Sets middle and high school bell times at least 20 minutes later than they are now with the target of the medically-recommended time of 8:30 am
4. Sets elementary bell time no earlier than the current high school bell times with the target of 8 a.m. or later
5. The length of the school day stays the same at all levels"

The initial motion had no fifth condition, and required a 30 minute change for middle and high school students, but Scully made changes after discussion.

Applications for the parent advisory group will be available beginning Monday, superintendent Sheldon Berman said. They intend to have 12 parents, with one from each school and three from the high school, for a six-six split between elementary and secondary school parents.

"The objective is to give feedback to the working group," Berman said.

In the public comment period, speakers were unhappy with the committee's decision to not delay start times changes.

"I got a little bit flustered that nobody seconded that motion," said Lauren Kenny. "I guarantee you, we are not going anywhere."

Parents called for another forum with the start times working group, with more focus on issues like extracurriculars which would affected by a major change to school start times. One parent called for a member of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council to be added to the parent advisory group. The Andover High School student liaison, Ben Roldan, called for there to be a student voice on the group as well.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.