La Cañada High will try letting teens sleep in a bit - Los Angeles Times
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La Cañada High will try letting teens sleep in a bit

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La Cañada High School students will be able to take back their mornings starting this fall, after the city’s school board voted unanimously to shift the campus’ start time from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30.

The decision to try the schedule change for one year was made last month in a special meeting to let board members review data from a survey of district parents and students. Responses indicated overwhelming 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 is an incoming freshman. “My daughter’s very happy. A lot of the kids are.”

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The special meeting was an opportunity for the board to consider how the shift will affect parents, teachers and students, especially student-athletes who already miss class time to travel to away games.

The district made an agreement with the La Cañada Teachers Assn. to help student-athletes who miss class time. Buses transporting athletes to other schools for games also may be able to leave a bit later, said 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 via email. “That may have some limitations since other schedule issues are involved, but we will look at it.”

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The May 30 decision came on the same day that SB 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, moving on to the state Assembly.

Cardine writes for Times Community News.

[email protected]

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Twitter: @SaraCardine

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