Arapahoe should get rid of the PLC Wednesday late start. I believe that Arapahoe should put an end to the late start and start school at 9:30 every day. I think that having one day a week where school starts later is more a hindrance than a benefit. They say it is for extra rest but one day a week is going to make no difference on the students mentally. I believe that if they truly cared about having a better- rested student body they would change every day to 9:30. 

Sleep is very important for growing teenagers. According to John Hopkins Medicine, a proper amount of sleep for teens helps brain development as well as growth. Hopkins also states that better sleep helps with mental health like an increased prevention of depression and anxiety. The Sleep Foundation states that a well- rested brain is more likely to engage in expansive thinking, creativity, and better knowledge retention. These are some of the many reasons why proper sleep is important to the student body as well as a school’s success.

Having a 9:30 start would be beneficial to the student body. Studies have shown that teenagers’ bodies release melatonin later than their adult or children counterparts. This later release makes it difficult for many students to fall asleep at a time in which they can get the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep. “If allowed to sleep on their own schedule, many teens would get eight hours or more per night, sleeping from 11 p.m. or midnight until 8 or 9 a.m.” (sleepfoundation.org) If the school start was moved to 9:30, the student body would be set up significantly better to receive their proper 10 hours of sleep. With an 8:30 start time, many students are forced into a week of sleep deprivation that hinders their learning ability. 

Having a late start day does significantly more damage than it does good. Many students say that they skip out on sleep other days because they believe they can catch up on it during the late start. This is an unhealthy mindset encouraged by the school promoting the late start as “Extra sleep time.”. According to the Harvard Medical School, one of the most important aspects to a healthy sleep schedule is having consistent wake- up times. By waking up at the same time every day the body is better suited to release melatonin at the correct time of night. By having a late start only one day of the week students’ sleep schedules are harmed rather than benefited by sleeping in  an hour later. 

This is why I believe that a consistent 9:30 Am school start would benefit the students.