The ConVal school district is hoping to explore the possibility of single-tier busing in the future. Single-tier busing would have all K-12 students starting school at the same time, mostly likely an hour later than high school students now start.
“We have been looking at the research on this for years, and the research shows that a later start time is beneficial for the high school students,” said Janine Lesser, school board representative from Peterborough at Tuesday night’s school board meeting.
Lesser said that in the past, a student group for ConVal High had done a research project on later start times and determined that a later start time had positive effects on student performance.
Dr. Gregory Kriebel, a pediatrician and school board representative from Peterborough, has previously advocated for a later start time for the high school and cited data that supports a later school day start for teenagers.
Voters in ConVal’s nine towns defeated a 2019 warrant article proposing a reconfiguration of bus routes and a possible later start time for the high school. The proposal would have added $808,000 to the school budget.
School board chair Mike Hoyt said the district will try to get an extension with the current transportation provider.
“A one year extension would allow us to study single-tier busing,” Hoyt said.
ConVal Business manager Neal Cass said the district may be able to negotiate an extension with the current transportation provider.
Smart Watches banned at ConVal
Board chair Mike Hoyt said that while the current draft of ConVal student handbook states that “smart watches” are permitted in the high school, the board has determined that the new state law prohibits the devices.
“The law does not give us flexibility on this,” said Superintendent Ann Forrest. “A ‘smart watch’ is still a device that can connect with the internet for communication, so it is not permitted by state law. We will need to revise that section of the handbook.”
According to House Bill 206, New Hampshire public schools: “shall prohibit all personal communication device use by students from when the first bell rings to start instructional time until the dismissal bell rings to end the academic school day, with approved exceptions determined by the superintendent or their designee with respect to student medical, disability, or language proficiency need.”