Eagles start school 35 minutes earlier next year
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 Next year, the first hour bell that begins the school day will ring at 7:30 a.m., 35 minutes earlier than this year's 8:05 a.m. start time. The change, which recently was approved by the school board, also means the school day will end at 2:50 p.m.
Principal Jim McKay said LCHS has been requesting an earlier start for quite some time; however, when it opened three years ago, the bus company that services District 117 did not have the resources to transport both LCHS and ACHS students at the same time. ACHS begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 2:50 p.m.
The change is possible for next year due to adjustments in the bus routes, which might add five minutes to a student's travel time, as well as the availability of more buses.
McKay said the change is necessary for several reasons. Among them: to align the work days of the district's two high schools for district-wide meetings; to avoid pulling student-athletes from their eighth period classes to attend off-campus sporting events; to open up additional time for after-school organizations to meet; and more.
Next year's change will be the fourth in LCHS' brief history. The school day began at 8:30 a.m. during the 2004-2005 school year and at 8:15 a.m. during 2005-2006 school year.
McKay said he believes this new start time will stay consistent for years to come. |
