By: Jessica A. Dennehy
After months of discussion and debate, the Williamsville Central School District has officially decided not to alter school start and end times. This decision was confirmed at the February school board meeting when the proposal failed to gain enough support for a vote.
The proposed changes had been in the works for the past few years and, if implemented, would have adjusted school starting and ending times across the district. Elementary schools like Dodge, Forest, Heim, and Maple East would have started at 7:50 a.m. and ended at 2:00 p.m., while Maple West and Country Parkway would have run from 8:20 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. All the middle schools—Casey, Heim, Mill, and Transit—would have started at 8:20 a.m. and ended at 3:00 p.m. On the high school level, school hours would have shifted to 8:50 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. These significant adjustments to school schedules received mixed reactions.
Back in the fall of 2023, the Board of Education, Superintendent Dr. Darren Brown-Hall, and the District Leadership Team collaborated to establish a school start time committee. Their goal was to examine available research and determine whether the district should pursue a change in their daily schedule. Under the direction of Keith Boardman, the principal of Williamsville South, the School Start Time (STT) Committee spent the following months examining the possible impacts of modified school start times, concentrating primarily on research that demonstrated the advantages of later start times for high school students. The STT Committee’s proposal to stagger school start hours, particularly at the high school level, was based on this research, which linked better sleep to improved academic achievement, mental health, and overall well-being. However, more local concerns regarding transportation, potential disruptions to extracurricular activities, and general opposition from parents and students influenced the Board’s decision to reject the proposal.
Parents and students voiced their disapproval of the suggested schedule modifications throughout the discussion. “Let’s try not to fix something that isn’t broken,” one concerned parent said, while another stressed, “This is not a change that is wanted or needed, and you need to put it to bed.” A major concern was the effect on younger students, particularly regarding their sleep and daily routines. Another concern brought up by high school students was how sports, extracurricular activities, and part-time employment would be hampered by the later dismissal hour. With this feedback, the Board’s decision was a reflection of the significant portion of the Williamsville Central population who vocally opposed this proposal.
“Although I am a bit surprised at the ruling, I’m also not,” says an East senior, “there was major pushback from every party involved–parents, students, teachers—very few were content with the proposal and the science wasn’t adding up either. It’s good to see that the district prioritized public opinion over the amount of time, funding, and effort that went into researching this initiative.”
The district now has no plans to reexamine the now-failed initiative, reflecting the community’s strong opposition. For now, Williamsville students and parents can celebrate their victory as the school schedule remains unchanged.