Panel doesn't act, NHS start time stays the same

By OWEN BOSS

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - School Committee members were unable to raise a motion that would set aside the more than $180,000 needed to accommodate a later start time at Northampton High School Thursday night, functionally rejecting the plan for next year.

After spending about an hour discussing a report provided by business manager Susan Wright that outlined several alternative busing scenarios, members were unwilling to come up with a motion that would ask school executives to set aside approximately $183,000 from next year's budget for four additional buses.

The panel's decision not to vote Thursday night means the committee will agree with a recommendation made by the school system's Curriculum Subcommittee in December not to change the start time at NHS from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Although committee members once again agreed with research showing an additional half-hour of sleep would increase academic performance among high school students, none could offer a clear answer on how to fund the additional buses needed to accommodate the change.

Aside from being unable to pay for more buses, committee members also worried that rearranging the city's bus routes would affect transportation for special education students, require satellite stops for students traveling longer distances and leave insufficient time for drivers to get from school to school.

Another concern, raised by committee member Lisa Minnick, was that rearranging the bus schedule would result in high school students' milling around the building unsupervised as they waited for a ride home.

"We are responsible for these students from when they get dropped off in the morning until they leave in the evening, and the liability that goes along with having them in the building after hours would be huge," she said.

Despite the committee's lack of a decision Thursday, local resident Steve Herrell, who has been a vocal advocate for a later start time, said he remains optimistic that the switch will be made in the future.

"I think they've finally realized that this is something that they've got to do," Herrell said after leaving the meeting.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.