Strong Support Among Educators for Earlier Start Time for District’s Secondary Schools

Report on the Meeting of Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee, February 10, 2026This meeting was held in the library of the Amherst Regional High School and simulcast over Amherst Media Channel 15, and was recorded.

Present
Regional School Committee: Sarahbess Kenney (Chair, Pelham), Andrew Hart (Amherst), Laura Jane Hunter (Amherst), Anna Heard (Shutesbury), Bridget Hynes (Amherst), Deb Leonard (Amherst), Sarah Marshall (Amherst), William Sherr (Pelham) and Tim Shores (Leverett)

Staff: E. Xiomara Herman (Dr. Xi, Superintendent of Schools), Shannon Bernacchia (Director of Finance, Amherst Public Schools)

The night began with students from Amherst Regional Middle School addressing the committee on two fronts: restoring bake sales and the eighth-grade gift. 

The bulk of the meeting was dedicated to updating committee members on the report and ongoing discussions regarding the Regional Agreement Leasing Language and changes to the school day start and end times.

School Day Start and End Times
With limited information to provide the committee, Dr. Xi presented survey responses from Amherst Regional High School (ARHS) and Amherst Regional Middle School (ARMS) staff regarding a proposed change to an earlier start time at the district’s secondary schools. (See here for the original presentation given to the RSC about the time change). The district changed the start time for secondary schools in the fall of 2021 from 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. (see here for the district’s statement about that change).

81% of staff members (among 82 responses) said they supported the change to an earlier start. A caregiver survey was also distributed, with a closing date of Feb. 10, but that deadline was recently extended to Feb. 16 in response to community requests.

The central office also shared a Q&A document answering questions about the reasoning and plan for the time change. 

What follows is Dr. Xi’s  summary from the Q&A and survey report, of the rationale for the proposal as well as the possible benefits and challenges of the proposed change.

Why is the District Proposing This Change?

When the start time shifted from 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., the district adjusted the schedule by integrating activities traditionally held after school into the regular instructional day. More recently, guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary 

While the 9:00 a.m. start time functioned effectively when ARHS operated with a FlexBlock that allowed students to access academic and social-emotional supports as needed, the removal of FlexBlock and the reduction of after-school time have changed those conditions. Under the current schedule, the structure no longer fully supports the range of students’ academic, social-emotional, and community engagement needs.

Potential Benefits of an Earlier Start
Respondents most frequently cited benefits related to after-school activities and athletics, noting reduced instructional time lost to early dismissals, earlier practice and game times, and decreased stress for students balancing academics and extracurricular commitments. Additional themes included an earlier end to the school day to allow more time for homework, employment, family responsibilities, and rest, as well as potential improvements to instructional flow earlier in the day. A smaller but notable theme was improved alignment with transportation schedules, athletic leagues, and community programs.

Potential Challenges of an Earlier Start
The most prominent concern raised was student sleep, health, and alignment with adolescent circadian rhythms, including potential impacts on attention, mental health, and overall well-being. Staff working conditions and transitions were also raised, particularly concerns about insufficient time between arrival and instructional duties, and equity for paraprofessionals and support staff. Additional challenges included family and childcare logistics, transportation impacts, change fatigue, and concerns that an earlier start does not automatically translate to improved instructional quality.

School Committee Wants More Information
The majority of the committee members were not impressed by the presentation’s lack of diverse perspectives and information. Members wanted to hear from more teachers, as well as from caregivers and students. They also wanted input from the elementary schools and facts about costs for late buses.

Anna Heard said, “I can’t have an opinion about whether I want to do this when I don’t know how this affects the elementary school and when I don’t know how we can afford this.” 

Some members completely rejected having the conversation in the middle of planning for the opening of the sixth-grade academy.

Laura Jane Hunter said, “My feeling about this whole discussion is that it should be put off for another year…I really don’t understand why this conversation is happening now. It feels like a really bad time to be having it.” 

Quarter Two Budget Report Update – Special Education Transportation Costs Raise Concerns
Shannon Bernacchia, Director of Finance for the Amherst District, presented the budget for this year and affirmed that the budget is on track.

Most concerns centered on special education funding, driven by additional out-of-district placements. Bernacchia said that for quarter three, she will most likely request a vote from the RSC to approve the use of special education stabilization funds.

“Our transportation for special education is also significantly costly, and oftentimes the transportation [cost] is very close to the cost of the program itself,” Bernacchia said.

Deb Leonard asked about the possibility of using state reimbursement for transportation, and what that could mean for the budget.

Jay Sullivan, Associate Commissioner at the School Finance and District Support Center at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), explained that the state has struggled to predict the annual funds available for special education transportation.

The Student Opportunity Act requires the state to pay for tuition and fees at the statutory maximum before reimbursing transportation, according to Sullivan. This means more money is requested for instructional and tuition costs, leaving less for transportation. Each year, the ability for the state to reimburse depends on the requests from each district and leftover funds.

Leonard pointed out the millionaires tax, which is supposed to fund public education in the Commonwealth, but Sullivan said that the state already uses those funds for transportation reimbursement, as well as for higher education and child care. 

Bridget Hynes asked if the town could use free cash to aid special education transportation. 

In response, Bernacchia explained that “given that free cash is unreliable each year, it was possible that towns could instead make a one-time donation to the stabilization fund to be used for special education transportation.

Public Comment: Students Present Class of 2029 Gift, Seek Resumption of Bake Sales
Five students from the ARMS student council spoke against the recent policy banning the distribution of food, and therefore bake sales, at the district level. Originally introduced to protect students with allergies, the students argued that the policy limits fundraising opportunities.

Aika, an eighth grader at ARMS, informed the committee that earlier bake sales at the middle school had never caused an allergic reaction, and spoke about a popular bake sale hosted by the People of Color United club at their school.

“Our school is very diverse and we are proud to have students with backgrounds from all over the world.… Whether they’re getting an empanada receipt from their abuela or making fry bread and celebrating their native roots, they have fun,” Aika said.

The student council said they understood the concern around allergies, but advocated for regulating food distribution instead of banning it. The student representatives proposed providing a list of ingredients to the nurse before an event and purchasing allergy-free foods. 

“We’ve worked really hard and came up with solutions to keep everyone happy and healthy. We ask that you revisit the policy and consider revising it in light of these comments and the impact this policy has on ARMS students and their experience in middle school,” Sofia, another eighth grader, said.

Two students representing the ARMS student council presented the class of 2029’s gift for the middle school (See here for the presentation). In partnership with the art club, the class plans to create a mural depicting the daily life of a middle school student, full of fun and joy.

Lena Holcombe, co-chair of the student council, said, “We envision a mural that will not only bring color to the hallway but also serve as a lasting reminder of our connections as students. Every time people walk by, we want them to feel welcomed and reminded of the joy that comes with being part of this school community.”

Working alongside maintenance, the plan is to paint the mural on canvas panels to be placed in the eighth-grade hallway. The student council donated a total of $900 to cover equipment costs, T-shirts for Art Club members contributing to the project, and a stipend for a project manager, if needed.

The gift was approved by the committee, and will be completed by the end of June.

The committee also accepted an anonymous gift of a wireless microphone adapter to improve audio during school events.