Students in the Seattle Public Schools head back into the classroom on Sept. 7, but this year, most will step through the doorway at a different time than in years past.
After a year-long process that included a national review of research, surveys, and recommendations from a community-based task force, the changes were made with the goal of improving the academic performance for secondary students.
However, to accommodate that adjustment, some of the most drastic changes will come at the elementary level.
Queen Anne Elementary (411 Boston St.) will be one of the most starkly affected schools by the change. After starting classes at 9:30 a.m. last year, the school day will begin at 7:55 a.m. for 2016-17.
Coe Elementary (2424 Seventh Ave. W.) and Lawton Elementary (4000 27th Ave. W.) will join Queen Anne with a 7:55 a.m. start time as well, but both schools are moving from an 8:40 start last year.
On the other end of the spectrum will be students at John Hay Elementary (201 Garfield St.) and Catharine Blaine K-8 (2550 34th Ave. W.), who will each start at 9:35 a.m. each day, five minutes later than last year.
Students at McClure Middle School (1915 First Ave. W.) will get a bit more rest before heading in, with the start time moved to 8:45 a.m. from 7:50 a.m. last year. That also means the school day will end almost an hour later than it used to, at 3:15 p.m.
That same change will also go into effect at Ballard High School (the feeder school for students in Queen Anne and Magnolia) with an 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. school day this year. The Center School, a small high school with an arts and community engagement focus on the Seattle Center campus will also start each day at 8:45 a.m.
The district has also identified resources for families that are now faced with challenges regarding before and after school childcare, after school activities, and nutrition programs. Those resources can be found at http://bit.ly/1slsCR3.
For the full list of start times in Seattle Public Schools, visit http://bit.ly/1XYIVGV.
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