Barrington High School students rally against later school start times

A group of Barrington High School students lined the edge of Lincoln Avenue before classes started on Friday morning and held signs protesting the district's decision to change school start times.

"Say No To Later School Start Times."

"Hear Our Voice, No Later School Start Times"

"Honk If You Oppose Later Start Times."

The signs share a message that some students have been voicing since last year, when members of the school committee voted to push the high school start time from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30. The committee later voted to delay the implementation of the change until the 2017-18 school year.

School start times will change next year.

The middle school will also have a later start time next year — going from 7:40 to 8:36. The elementary schools (Nayatt, Sowams and Primrose Hill) will all start at 8:05, and Hampden Meadows will start at 9:05.

School officials said the decision to have later start times for the older students in the district is based on scientific evidence of the benefits of a later start time. Officials have also referenced the recommendations made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics to move to later start times.

Those opposing the change have pointed a variety of reasons for doing so — some are concerned the move will have a negative impact on school sports and extracurricular activities; others say local students are already performing at a high level; and others say the move will merely shift times for students, forcing them to stay up later to do their homework.

Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore said he was aware of the student protest on Friday morning, and was pleased that it did not impact the start of the school day — students protested from about 7 a.m. until 7:40 when classes began. 

"The message is that this is still a decision that has already been made," said Mr. Messore, referring to the change in start times. 

He reassured students and parents that no sports programs or extracurricular activities will be eliminated.

"We're not taking anything away from anyone," he said. "Things may look a little different, but we're not going to eliminate anything."

Mr. Messore said he has been discussing the start time shift with superintendents in other districts that have already made the change. He said many of those officials said the later start times have allowed students an easier — not as rushed — transition into morning classes.