VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — School officials are nailing down proposed start time for all Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
High school students would start and end two hours later than normal. It’s causing concern for many.
“I think it’s drastically going to impact my business,” explained Online Formals Dress Boutique Owner Stephen Winston.
He said his business is mainly tailored to high school students going to school dances. Most of the workers that help students try on dresses are also students.
“We have generally about 1q to 15 employees and probably 9 or 10 of them are high school kids,” explained Winston.
RELATED: In Session panel: School start times
School leaders say delaying the start of school could help with attendance, grades and allows students more time to sleep.
Elementary Schools:
- A Time: 7:30 a.m. -2:00 p.m.
- B Time: 8:00 a.m - 2:30 p.m.
Middle Schools:
- 8:40 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.
High Schools:
- 9:20 a.m. - 4:20 p.m.
“The whole time change isn’t going to do anything," said Kellam High School Junior, Lexi Henson. "People are still going to lay in bed on their phones. Nothing is going to change no one is going to get more sleep.”
Henson said many students enjoy their schedule the way it is. If school leaders decide to change the schedule, high school students wouldn’t get out of class until after 4 p.m.
“I really wouldn’t be able to work other than on the weekends because we close at 5 like a lot of businesses do. Everyone has jobs and has to take care of siblings and has other responsibilities,” explained Henson.
Senior Executive Director of High Schools, Daniel Keever, said he’s researched later start times for students for several years and he believes it’s the right choice.
“Change of this magnitude is going to bring some contradictions for everyone involved," said Keever. "Not a single entity that wouldn’t be involved in some level of this change.”
The school board votes on the topic in November. If approved, leaders may implement the change by the 2020 to 2021 school year.