RHS Students at Oct. 30 Feedback Session: We Feel More Rested

Radnor High School students packed the faculty lounge to share their thoughts on the new 2019-20 school schedule on Oct. 30. With a show of hands, every student in attendance felt the new schedule's benefits outweigh its challenges. Students stated they felt more alert and less stressed in the morning, among other positives. Traffic, busy lunch periods, and shortened community periods were some concerns. Administrators in attendance, including Superintendent Batchelor, stressed that many of the expressed issues were on their radar and that adjustments may need to be made as the year progresses. Most of all, they thanked the students for their perspectives and candor.

For the 2019-20 school year, the RTSD community begins an initiative years in the making. With the goal of positively impacting student health, the district has adjusted its school schedules to support and encourage more student sleep. This is a first step; improving sleep and overall student wellness are two focuses this year. Together with parents, guardians and staff members, we can make sure all of our students feel rested and ready this school year and beyond.

RADNOR HIGH SCHOOL
Start: 8:30 a.m.
End: 3:10 p.m.

RADNOR MIDDLE SCHOOL 
Start: 7:50 a.m.
End: 2:40 p.m.

ITHAN, RADNOR & WAYNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Start: 9:07 a.m.
End: 3:40 p.m.

Radnor Township School District is committed to promoting and sustaining the safety, academic achievement and mental and physical health of our students. Over the past several years, there has been significant mounting scientific evidence that chronic adolescent sleep loss has become a public health issue.

In testament to these findings, many major prominent national health organizations (see "Resources" below) have issued related official policy statements and recommendations. More recently, the following national organizations have issued the same declarations: the National Parent Teacher Association; the American Academy of Sleep Medicine; and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

In June 2017, in response to this issue also garnering board and administrative concern and under the direction of Superintendent Mr. Ken Batchelor, the district named the exploration of student sleep needs and school start times as one of its 2017-18 "priority projects,” with a recommendation to be released by administration by the end of the 2017-18 school year. The recommendation will follow an investigation on the topics of student sleep and school start time by a committee comprised of RTSD staff members, parents, students and community members.

For more information, contact sleep@rtsd.org.

The RTSD Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Committee was formed by district administration in response to the results of a district survey completed by approximately 500 community members on the topic. Approximately 100 respondents requested to be considered for membership on the committee. The selected participants are listed on the right under "Study Committee Members."

The three major questions from the survey were:

• What do you think would be beneficial about starting high school later in the morning?
• What are the concerns you have about starting high school later in the morning?
• What general comments, questions, or concerns do you have that you would like the committee to address?

When officially designating adolescent sleep and school start time an area of study for the 2017-18 school year, Radnor Township School District Superintendent Ken Batchelor assigned the following purposes to the Study Committee:

• Understand and educate the community about the identified national public health issue of chronic sleep deprivation in adolescents and the contributing factors and consequences;
• Evaluate the impact on Radnor;
• Present a report and recommendations to the RTSD Administration and Superintendent by the end of the 2017-18 school year

RTSD Students
Tobey Le - RHS Student
Scott Massey - RHS Student
Ryan Movsowitz - RMS Student
Ryan Oliver - RHS Student
John Sutherby - RHS Student (Radnorite Articles)
Lauren Yang - RHS Student (Radnorite Articles)
Annabel Zhao - RHS Student

RTSD Parents
Eileen Bookbinder - Parent
Erin Croke - Parent
Sarah Fox – Parent
Pamela Kenney - Parent
Jacqueline Kloss, Ph.D. - Parent
Alicia Kolber - Parent
Thomas Le - Parent
Michelle Leonard - Parent
Katherine Moore - Parent
John Reilly - Parent
Kristen Ressler - Parent
Rachel Ebby-Rosin - Parent
Shobha Sharma - Parent

RTSD Community Members
Vicki Boettcher - Community Member
Laura Foran - Community Member
Roberta Winters - Community Member

RTSD District Employees
Kenneth Batchelor - Superintendent
Camille Baker - RES Teacher
Dan Bechtold - RHS Principal
Sue Dahlstrom - WES Librarian
Christine Dougherty - RMS Teacher
Michael Friel - RHS Athletic Director
Elyse Goldberg - WES Teacher
John Hearn - RTSD Director of Transportation
Doug Kent, Ed.D. - RMS Assistant Principal
Edward McCallion - RMS Teacher
Carl Rosin - RHS Teacher
Anthony Rybarczyk, Ed.D. - Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning
David Stango - RHS Assistant Principal
Jessica Verguldi-Scott - RHS Teacher