District Officials Release School Start Times Survey Results; Public-Facing Committee To Convene in the Fall

An internal district working group has found that New Canaan should continue researching “slightly later start and end times” for the middle and high school and “slightly earlier” times for elementary schools, according to research that the superintendent of schools made public Monday night. As it considers whether to make changes so that high schoolers aren’t starting so early, New Canaan Public Schools “should prioritize student sleep and time for homework in making scheduling decisions,” according to a presentation that Dr. Bryan Luizzi shared during a meeting of the Board of Education. The Board of Ed remains far from reaching a decision—its members talked about convening a public-facing committee in September and reiterated that nothing will happen until the 2019-20 academic year, in part for budgeting reasons. While Luizzi reviewed much of the scientific evidence surrounding adolescent sleep and health (“The research has shown me that this is an important consideration for schools,” he said, adding that “the science of it certainly seems to be pointing to a need for schedules to be developed that facilitate student sleep”), an April survey from Hanover Research—of 1,312 middle and high school students, 1,126 parents and guardians, 379 school staff members and seven people from the wider community—found that respondents perceive starting school later would have a negative effect on homework (as well as activities outside of school). Yet the survey also found that respondents believe starting earlier complicates parents’ work schedules and before-school care, and has a negative impact on participation in school publications and performing arts programs.

“Ultimately, I don’t know what the answer is going to be,” Luizzi said at the meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School and attended by more than 50 parents.

New Canaan Girls Softball All-Stars Advance to Little League District Finals

[Editor’s Note: The following information is supplied by Rob Moore.]

The New Canaan 9-10 year old girls softball all-star team advanced all the way to the Little District Finals this past weekend. The team beat rival Darien two times in pool play, the second of which was a tightly contested pitchers’ duel with New Canaan ultimately persevering 5-4 in six innings. Carolina Welch pitched a complete game and went 3 for 4 in the victory. Darien rallied down 5-0 and scored 2 runs in the 6th to get the game within a run but came up short as New Canaan defense was strong and Welch got the final out via strikeout with runners on second and third. Unity Lee and Paige Davis connected for key hits in the Darien games.