Derry, like some other New Hampshire communities, has now decided to start school later in the day. Manchester is considering it, and maybe Nashua will eventually follow suit.
I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I think the idea is silly.
First, let’s take a look back at 2014. U.S. Admiral William H. McRaven delivered a commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin. It was an inspirational address to the almost 8,000 graduates by the former Navy SEAL, where he listed 10 lessons he hoped would be of value to them as they moved forward in life.
Lesson No. 1: “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
This famous remark gave way to the New York Times Bestseller by McRaven in 2019, “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life … And Maybe the World.”
This simple task is really about maintaining routine and structure.
McRaven explained it as such: “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another … Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.”
Is it old-fashioned advice? Maybe, but I think it makes sense even more so in today’s complicated world. However, it seems I’m in the minority here. The Derry Cooperative School District’s School Board (pre-K through 8) recently voted to give its older students more sleep by starting the school day about 40 minutes later.
No, I’m not affected by the town’s decision. I just wonder, are we coddling our students, especially in high school?
I recall the bell rang at 7:15 a.m. or thereabouts during my Nashua High School years. I was tired like many of my fellow students, but somehow, we managed. There were students with tougher routines than mine; some had to care for younger siblings or a family member after school; others had a part-time job, some were playing in the band or on a sports team, involved in several extracurricular activities, or were saddled with more difficult responsibilities. Life can be tough and unfair.
Behavioral experts would tell me I’m off the mark, and that it’s not about discipline. Starting school an hour or more later, especially for adolescent students (13 to 18), is beneficial for improved educational outcomes and mental well-being, they say. And the American Academy of Pediatrics believes that middle and high schools should start at 8:30 a.m. or later to allow students to get the sleep they need.
Budget talks
Meanwhile, school departments across the Granite State have bigger fish to fry, crafting their budgets for fiscal year 2027. It’s no easy task, especially in Nashua.
Mayor Jim Donchess told city departments to come in at no more than a 3% increase in their operating budgets. However, the Board of Education has presented a $144.4 million spending plan (a 6% increase) and told the Budget Review Committee that if the school department is held at 3%, it would mean substantial layoffs and cuts. “It would be nuclear,” says Nashua Superintendent of Schools Mario Andrade.
It’s hard to say no to a community’s three foundational pillars: police, fire and public schools. This trio impacts quality of life for all, whether or not you make your bed each morning.
Original article
Comments