CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Chesterfield school leaders and the Chesterfield Council PTA will host a "Hot Topic Session" Monday night on the subject of school start times.
Officials are expected to provide medical research on the importance of sleep and the impact it has on students mentally, socially, and academically.
New Chesterfield Superintendent James Lane reached out the parents last week to let them know about upcoming meetings.
"Research conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) shows that students who don’t get enough sleep often suffer from physical and mental health issues, an increased risk of car accidents and a decline in academic performance. In response to these medical findings, the AAP recommends that middle and high schools start later than they currently do in Chesterfield County," he wrote.
The school district is currently proposing three different options to push back times for high school students.
One has high school students starting class at 8 a.m., one at 8:45 a.m., and one at 9:30 a.m. Currently, high school begins at 7:15 a.m.
You can find more information on analysis here.
Monday's meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Fulghum Conference Center at the Chesterfield Career and Technical Center @ Hull, located at 13900 Hull Street Road. Decisions on school start times won't be made until next year.