Ulster County School Talks New Start Times

The New Paltz School District will have a presentation on February 1st.

According to the Daily Freeman, the presentation will look at suggestions for possible changes to starting times for the four schools in the district.

District Superintendent Maria Rice told the Freeman that at the session, “They’ll discuss the results from the survey and the science, they’ll discuss the comments from the parents, community members and the teachers.”

She also said that they are expected to ask for proposed new starting times and what the impacts would be if start times were changed.

The district start times as of now are as follows:

Middle school starts at 7:55 a.m.
High School starts at 8 a.m.
Lenape Elementary School starts at 9:15 a.m.
Duzine Elementary School starts at 9:25 a.m.

In the survey all of the current start times proved to be the most popular among parents and staff.

District officials said that any changes in the start time will include consideration of health, academic performance, athletics and logistics.

They also stated that “Well rested students have higher attendance, lower tardiness rates, higher test scores, and higher grade point averages."

The meeting will take place on Feb 1, at the the high school on South Putt Corners Road in New Paltz.