Dover-Sherborn Parents Continue Fight Against Flip Start Times

DOVER-SHERBORN, MA — The Dover-Sherborn district may have made it's final decision to flip start times for elementary students and middle and high school students, but that hasn't stopped elementary school parents from organizing petitions. The parents aren't against secondary school students getting more sleep, but they argue that the flip model shifts the issue from older students, to younger ones.

The Dover-Sherborn school committee voted in April to swap the secondary and elementary school start times, in an effort to give middle and high school students more sleep. The new times will go into effect in September 2020. Now, elementary school students in Dover and Sherborn get the bus between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m and get to school by 8:35 a.m. Under the flip times, buses will have to get elementary students as early as 6:50 a.m. to be in school by 7:50 a.m.

The district came to the decision based, in part, on a 2014 American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that showed that teens going through puberty need more sleep and waking up at early hours throws their circadian rhythm out of whack.

A big benefit of the flip model is it is seen as the "no-cost" option for the district, since it doesn't require additional buses. Statistics surrounding delaying start times for teens show more sleep is necessary for teens to perform well in school — but parents in the district aren't arguing against the statistics for teens. Some Dover-Sherborn parents have highlighted that there is a substantial lack of statistics on the flip model's affects on younger children.

The debate about delaying or changing school start times has dominated school committee meetings across the Commonwealth, including a recent debate in Andover, where elementary parents are voicing similar concerns as those in Dover-Sherborn.

For parents like Mary Godwyn, a mother of two elementary-aged students in Sherborn, safety is her main concern. "Our little kids are going to be waiting for the bus in the dark and Sherborn barely has sidewalks," She said. Godwyn, a sociology professor at Babson College, also highlighted the AAP's recommendation that children be escorted by an adult across the street.

Waiting in the morning darkness is half the battle, parents say, scheduling kids bedtimes, daycare and before and after school routines around the new times is another story. Earlier start times for elementary students means earlier dismissal and working parents like Godwyn would have to arrange for daycare or other care until the workday ends.

Godwyn along with another parent in Dover, Carissa Hayden, have organized two petitions. The petitions both ask the district not require start times for any students, elementary schools included, before 8:20 in the morning. The Dover petition has over 200 petitions and the Sherborn petition has 22.

"While we believe this has great benefit for the older kids - and that is important, it is well documented that the school committee gave very little thought to the ramifications for younger students, and is actively ignoring simple solutions that could allow for all students to begin school at 8:20am or later," Hayden said, "Dover parents are not likely to drop this issue any time soon."

Regional School Committee Chair Anne Hovey and Vice Chair Maggie Charron said the district made the choice to switch based on, "What’s best for our students first and foremost, but also for our teachers, facilities, budgets, towns, and taxpayers."

In a statement, Hovey and Charron said they realize there isn't as much research surrounding sleep needs of younger children but said the committee will, "Continue to follow the research as it emerges and the thinking evolves."

The statement went on to explain that with changes set 10 months away, families have time to make conscious adjustments as well as the school. The statement reads in part:

"Because implementation of the new start times is 10 months away, many of the specifics have yet to be finalized. While the basic framework of a flipped schedule has been determined, many of the details are still being finalized. We support the long runway to change, as it helps ease the pressure of change. Unfortunately, we believe that in recent months, talk about this change has resulted in some outdated and/or incorrect information circulating in our communities. This is frustrating for all who are invested in making this change a success. Conversations about this issue on social media are similarly challenging. At times, community members present what they’ve heard as fact, when it may be outdated information or a misunderstanding. We are grateful to members of the community who have reached out to the Start Times Task Force for clarification of elements of the change that may affect them."

The next regional school committee meeting is scheduled for Dec. 9. Parents are expected to bring up the flip start time issue once again.