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Petition addressed to: Paducah Board of Education
The Problem🚨
- PPS starts middle school at 7:10 a.m. and high school at 7:20 a.m.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics says middle and high schools should start no earlier than 8:00 a.m.
- Adolescent brains are biologically wired to sleep later and wake later. Forcing teenagers awake at 6:00 a.m. is like forcing adults to take a calculus test at 3:00 a.m. 😴
- It doesn't work.
What Happens When Kids Don't Sleep
- Grades drop 📚
- Depression and anxiety spike 😰
- Immune systems weaken 🤧
- Behavioral referrals goes up ⚠️
- Car accidents increase (drowsy teen drivers) 🚗💥
We're asking our kids to perform at their worst possible time—then wondering why they're struggling.
Reason
The Solution ✅
- Move middle and high school start times to 8:00 a.m. or later.
Option 1: Swap with elementary schools. Little kids wake up at dawn anyway—let them start at 7:20. Middle school at 8:15, high school at 8:35. 🔄
Option 2: Stagger all starts. High school 8:15, middle school 8:30, adjust elementary accordingly. 📅
"But What About..." 🤔
Busing? 🚌 Hundreds of districts—larger than ours—run the same buses on later schedules. It's logistics, not rocket science.
Sibling pickups? 👨👩👧👦 Shift elementary dismissal 15-30 minutes or give siblings waivers to leave early. Problem solved.
Sports? ⚽🏀 Practice ends at 5:30 instead of 5:00. Coaches in other districts figured this out. Well-rested athletes actually perform better. 💪
The Bottom Line 💯
- School districts across Kentucky and the country have made this change. They had the same buses, the same sports schedules, the same concerns.
- They did it anyway. ✔️
- Their kids are healthier, safer, and learning better.
- If they can solve it, we can solve it. 🎯
What We're Asking 📝
Implement AAP-recommended start times (no earlier than 8:00 a.m. for middle and high school) beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
Let's schedule school around our kids' needs!. 💪🏫
Thank you so much for your support, Sarah S Holland, Paducah, KY
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