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Virginia Beach school leaders need your help with new school start times

Posted at 3:56 PM, May 06, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-06 23:22:04-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Adrianna Milford is walking across the stage next month. The one thing she will not miss is waking up before 6 a.m. every day to go to school.

“I wake up around 5:45 a.m. to get here early because the doors open at 6:45 a.m.,” said Milford.

She’s been doing this every day since freshman year, causing her to sometimes fall asleep during class.

"I was studying a lot the night before and I had to wake up early again. I didn’t get much sleep that night."

Virginia Beach school leaders think the solution may be later start times.

“The research is clear that if you are interested in looking at student health and well-being that you need to create start times that allow for students to have the opportunity for more sleep," said Daniel Keever, Senior Executive Director for high schools.

Related: Virginia one step closer to allowing schools to open before Labor Day

There are four different schedule options that are being considered. In all the options, high schools will start after 8 a.m. Right now, the bell rings at 7:20 a.m.

Noah Ramos is also graduating this summer. He says, “It has its pros and cons. I would definitely love to have more time to sleep if I was an upcoming student.”

There is a cost associated with more lights needed for later-starting after school activities and games.

“Options A, B and C is projected right now with a one time cost to run about $2.5 million whereas Option D would come in to about $10 million.”

Once an option is selected, school times will not change until fall 2020.

Click here for more information on the time changes and and the next meeting.