The district is looking to push start times by 15 to 25 minutes.
Proposed times:
- High school: 8 a.m. - 2:50 p.m.
- Middle school: 8:30 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.
- Elementary school: 9 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.
"Every minute counts, especially when my money is on the line," said one parent at the board meeting this week.
With the start of school just three weeks away, some parents are worried they won't be able to adjust their routines to make it to work at 9 a.m. or afford additional childcare.
"I understand you want the high school students to excel and be successful this school year, but I don't feel like you're considering the smaller children," another parent added.
Pleasantville Superintendent Marilyn Martinez said they'll make sure kids have a place to go and that teachers will be at school before start times.
"My expectations is our schools will be ready to receive our students," Martinez said.
A goal of the changes is to give high school students a later start to align with studies showing they'll do better in the classroom.
"We really support our high school students attending school on time and giving them an opportunity to begin their classes in a way that engages them much more productively," said Superintendent Martinez.
The New Jersey chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics says kids naturally sleep later when they hit puberty.
"Every minute counts. The more time these kids get to sleep, the better it is," said Dr. Deborah Steinbaum. "This is for biological reasons. Kids biologically go to sleep later and wake up later when they hit puberty."
Steinbaum is part of the academy's task force on adolescent sleep and school start times.
They're backing a state bill recommending high schoolers start classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
"It matters for mental health reasons, for physical health reasons, for academic reasons, safety reasons," Steinbaum said.
Steinbaum added, "It is so beneficial for our kids. Our kids are going to learn better."
Parents in Pleasantville might have to wait until the next board meeting on August 26 to find out the final school times, according to board members.
Classes start the following week on September 4,