Pickerington narrows options for new school start times

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) -- After months of community input, Pickerington Local School District has narrowed its options for new school start times.

In collaboration with a committee of parents, teachers, support staff and community members, the district is in its final stages of determining what the start and end times will be next school year.

It began seeking community feedback on proposed schedule changes in July, months after community members said they felt left out of the discussion to possibly adjust the schedules. According to the district, it's weighing concerns from teachers, research about best practices and the impact on families.

The district is considering four options and invited community feedback through in-person sessions, remote options and online forms. Feedback portals closed on Dec. 22, and the stakeholder committee will present its final proposal to the school board in late January.

The first option keeps the current schedule and would cost the district $1.3 million more in annual operating expenses. It would take a year of planning and would add between eight and 10 new bus routes to improve efficiency. According to the district, the plan is the cheapest and would change the least, but it does not address some teachers' concerns about changing the times.

The second option would be the most drastic change. The district said it would adjust the bus schedule and require hiring 87 new bus drivers. This option would be the most expensive, requiring two years of preparing and costing the district $11.5 million annually. This option prioritizes adolescent sleep research but could complicate afterschool childcare as older students would get out of school after younger students.

The third option would combine the junior high and high school bus routes, changing the busing system. Older students would still be out before younger students, addressing childcare concerns, and the district said it would likely grant more time for extracurriculars.

Finally, option four would maintain the current busing system and would address teacher concerns about younger students starting school too late. Younger students would also not have to travel to school in the dark under the fourth option, and it still allows for afterschool childcare. The district said it has not made its decision and is not advocating for or against any of the options.

Stacy Simera is a volunteer with nonprofit Start Schools Later, chair of the Sleep Committee with Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership, clinical social worker and mother. In August, she said that kids are healthier, safer and more productive when they get the sleep they need. Biological effects of puberty adjust when kids are able to sleep productively, and later school start times are often linked with better performance for older students.

The stakeholder committee will present its final proposal in late January at a board of education meeting. The dates for 2025 board meetings have not yet been announced, but the district's website states meetings are typically held twice a month on Mondays at 5 p.m.