Metro Detroit school districts push for later start times this fall

Dearborn, Bloomfield Hills districts speak on choosing to push back times

The bell will be ringing a little later for some schools districts in Metro Detroit.

Bloomfield Hills Schools and Dearborn Public schools are two districts who have decided to start later in the day this upcoming school year.

Nathaniel Gaines is one parent eager to see what happens with new start times happening in the school districts.

“I think it’s alright,” Gaines said.

Dearborn Public Schools superintendent Glen Maleyko said the time change has been in the works for a while, but COVID-19 was the final push.

“We moved from a 7:20 a.m. start to a 7:50 a.m. for high school. Middle school is 8:25 a.m. Elementary is 9 a.m.,” Maleyko said.

Several similar changes will be happening in the Bloomfield Hills Schools as well. Superintendent Patrick Watson insists the high school students will be happy with the extra time to rest.

“We know all the research shows that students do better when they get more sleep and a later start time. Our high school started at 7:25 in the morning, but next year, we’ll be starting at 7:55 a.m. Middle school is going from 8:15 a.m to 8:30 a.m.,” Watson said.

Elementary school kids in Bloomfield Hills Schools will go back only five minutes later.

Gaines believes this will be a huge relief on the parents.

“Some parents might need it because it’s been a lot of stress on some parents. It could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing. You never know,” he said.

Other school districts are exploring options to do the same exact thing.

READ: Wave of superintendent retirements leave Metro Detroit school districts with leadership void

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About the Author:

Victor Williams joined Local 4 News in October of 2019 after working for WOIO in Cleveland, OH, WLOX News in Biloxi, MS, and WBBJ in Jackson, TN. Victor developed a love for journalism after realizing he was a great speaker and writer at an early age.