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Norfolk schools consider starting the school day at 9 a.m., let students sleep

Students in Norfolk soon could get up to 90 minutes of extra sleep.

NORFOLK — NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- When the alarm clock sounds, Naomi Castel said her son doesn’t move an inch.

“I have to call him one thousand times, ‘Justice get up, Justice get up,’ he’s like, ‘I’m tired mom,’ 'get up,”' said Castel.

Justice’s grandma said by the time he gets home he’s down for the count.

Norfolk School Board Member Tanya Bhasin said, unfortunately, this is normal behavior among teens.

“I get lots of feedback from students about wanting to take a nap in the middle of the day,” said Bhasin.

So, the Norfolk School Board has directed the administration to begin looking into ways to push back the start of the school day from 7:25 a.m. to as late as 9 a.m.

“The Centers for Disease Control, the National Sleep Foundation, and a number of other health agencies have recommended that high school students begin their school day at a later time,” said Bhasin.

Not getting enough sleep can have long-term detrimental effects.

“What has been found is not only are there poor academic outcomes, but also adolescents might be more at risk for depression,” said Bhasin.

Castel agrees a later start time could do a lot of good.

“I think it’s a great idea because they do a whole lot during the school day, so in order to give them more sleep, they should be well rested,” said Castel.

The school board also acknowledges there will be challenges. A later start also means a later dismissal, which could affect everything from after-school activities, to transportation, to part-time jobs.

“Some of them are going to work, so the time they get out now is good because really they are preparing them for the real world, for the future, for being an adult,” said parent Glenda Wiggins.

Wiggins said if students want more sleep they should just go to bed earlier, but her granddaughter said it’s not that simple.

“I go to bed on time, and I wake up and I’m like, 'dang I’m tired you know,'” said student Jade Bryant.

Bryant can’t wait to embrace that extra-long snooze button.

“I think my friends will be ok with it, they’ll get more beauty sleep,” said Bryant.

If Norfolk Public Schools does move back the start time to their school day for high schools, that change will not go into effect until the Fall of 2019.

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