At Pace, students balance a challenging workload, demanding extracurriculars and busy schedules that often extend late into the evening. Due to this, most students look forward to their morning free periods, but even more students wish that they had the opportunity to sleep in.
The recommended amount of sleep for high school students is between 8-10 hours according to the National Sleep Foundation, yet for most Pace students, this is an unattainable goal. Nights often stretch late with hours of homework, studying, practices and rehearsals. As a result, many students show up to class exhausted and unable to fully focus on their academics.
National experts have weighed in on this problem as well. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that middle schools and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to allow students the necessary rest. Pace, however, has yet to adjust its start time. While a full schedule change may be unrealistic, giving students the option to come in late on days when they have a free first period could be a meaningful step in the right direction. Even just once a week, that extra hour of rest would give students the chance to reset and recharge. This recharge would be an amazing opportunity, and many students agree. “Sleeping in would be so nice just to catch up on the missed sleep from the week,” said sophomore Owen Peretz.
“Everyone is so stressed out from the intense academics at peace, it would be really nice to get a free period to sleep in,” said junior Avery Gunn. While some may argue that many students already sleep in and simply have their parents email the school, for the students who consistently show up at 8:00, giving them a formal opportunity to arrive later would make a big difference. It would remove the stress of needing parental approval and instead recognize sleeping in as a legitimate way to use a free period. This would help level the playing field so that all students, not just those with flexible parents, can benefit from extra rest.
“Most, if not all, students at Pace have an extracurricular, so we’re all pretty busy. That means sometimes you end up having work really late at night and I think if you had the opportunity to come in late, letting you sleep in, it would be really nice,” said Senior Dylan Nelson. The opportunity to sleep in would allow students to perform better in class and approach the day with more enthusiasm. It also allows students to feel heard by the administration at Pace, letting them know that their problems matter to their deans and teachers, who sometimes feel so far removed.
Ultimately, allowing students to arrive late during their free periods is a small adjustment that could have a big impact. By giving students the chance to rest, Pace would be supporting their health, their academics and their overall well-being. More importantly, it would show that the school is listening to the voices of its students and responding to their real needs. Pace has always emphasized balance, excellence and preparing students for the future; granting this flexibility would be another step toward living out those values.
