Augusta, Maine Schools Could Soon Have Drastically Different Start Times

Families with children in the Augusta School District could soon be facing a big change.

Starting next school year, the start times for elementary, middle, and high school in the district could be changing significantly.  However, nothing is set in stone and there will be a meeting to discuss it in the next few weeks.

Let's get into the potential changes!

What Time Does School Start in Augusta, Maine?

Currently, the city's four elementary schools start at 8:25 AM and the middle school and high school start at 7:10.

What Would the New Augusta School District Start Times Be?

According to a message sent to the parents and guardians of Augusta School District students, if the change were to happen, the new start times would be 8:15 AM for the elementary schools and 8:30 AM for the middle and high school.

What is the Reason for the Change in Augusta School District Start Times?

According to the email, and associated website post, the administration did a poll of parents and guardians and the majority of them were in favor of a change in the start times.

Apparently, 77% of respondents said they felt a 7:10 AM start time for Cony was too early.  76% said they believed that school should start at 8:30 AM or later and 44% said they believe their kids are not getting enough sleep.

Additionally, the posting points to research done by experts.  Some of the things pointed out include that teens are wired to go to bed and sleep later, teens need about 9 hours of sleep (and few are getting that much), and that the younger kids are wired to wake up earlier.

You can read more HERE.

Is the Change Set in Stone?

No.  It is just a proposal.

There will be a meeting to discuss the potential changes.  That meeting will take place at 6 PM on Tuesday, September 29th.  That meeting will be held in the auditorium at Cony.

When Would the New Augusta School District Schedule Start?

If it does happen, it would start with the 2027-2028 school year.

READ MORE: Does This 1937 Painting Prove Time Travel is Real?

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