Montgomery County Public Schools will hold four community forums for parents and students to speak out on a proposal to move high school start times back 50 minutes.
MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr made the recommendation on Oct. 1 after much advocacy from parents who wanted start times moved back and a report form a MCPS-organized work group.
Supporters of the move argue a later high school start time would mean more awake and more productive days for the system’s teenage students.
The earliest any changes would happen is the 2015-2016 school year.
The first of four community forums will be held on Monday, October 28 in Burtonsville. All will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.:
–Monday, October 28: Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville
–Monday, December 16: Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Dr. in Rockville
–Monday, January 6: Seneca Valley High School, 19401 Crystal Rock Dr. in Germantown
–Monday, February 10: Montgomery Blair High School, 51 University Blvd., East, in Silver Spring
Starr’s recommendation would move high school start times from 7:25 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., with the school day ending at 3 p.m. instead of 2:10 p.m. It would also mean moving middle school start times 10 minutes earlier, from 7:55 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. with school ending at 2:30 p.m. instead of 2:40 p.m. and extending the elementary school day by 30 minutes so school ends at 3:35 p.m. and 4 p.m.
