At 8:01 a.m. the first bell rings to start the West school day. Students scurry to class and make it into their homeroom seats at 8:04 a.m. But, many students feel that these start times are much too early. PCCS picked the times to suit the needs of the district and PCCS families.

According to Clint Smiley, WMS Principal, the school start and end times were picked by the State. Times were picked based on bus transportation. Mr. Smiley stated, “For example, if every school started at the same time, then we would need about 300 buses to take every child to school.” Which is too expensive for our school district.

Mr. Smiley told us that “I personally think that the middle school start and end times are perfect. High school’s start time is way too early because they are dead asleep for the first two hours of school.” Smiley suggested that high school and elementary times could be switched. This might cause some problems: High School after school activities would run later, elementary kids would be walking to school in the dark, and parents may not be off work in time to be there for their children in grades k-5.  

Emma Blaies, a WMS 7th grader, says, “I think that the time we start school is way too early for us because in the second hour of the day, I couldn’t think because I was so tired, and I went to bed a 9:30 at night. I would like to start school at 8:30.” Although, that is not too far from starting at 8:05 it still will give us more time in the morning.

WMS students may be unhappy with their wake-up times, but those won’t be changing anytime soon. Kyle Pierson a WMS 7th grader states, “Although the school start and end times are early, I personally think that they are fine”.