YOUR TURN
“Community Voices” are about to speak
NEXT GOVERNOR?
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS | PG 7
FLAIR | PG 15
DA George Brauchler: “We need better leadership …”
Greenwood Athletic and Tennis Club works it all out
OPINION | PG 5
S O U T H
EXERCISE GOOD JUDGMENT
M E T R O
VOLUME 35 • NUMBER 9 • JANUARY 19, 2017
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Illuminating art The sculptures of Dorothy and Mel Tanner light up Englewood
Alien Princess
Messenger Photos by Stefan Krusze
Artist Dorothy Tanner takes in her Beacon mixed-media sculpture. Continued on page 9
Cherry Creek mulls later school start time Growing research suggests kids need more sleep
Students in Cherry Creek Schools would be sleeping in a little later under a proposal being considered by the district’s Board of Education. School would start close to an hour later—50 to 65 minutes later, depending on school level—in Cherry Creek’s elementary, middle and high schools, if the plan were approved. The recommendations come in the face of growing research, including from the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggesting that kids, especially adolescents, fare significantly better when the first bell doesn’t compete with the alarm clock. “We’ve been hearing these complaints for years,” district spokeswoman Tustin Amole said. “The adolescent brain is still developing. It needs more sleep.” Two months ago, Cherry Creek surveyed parents, students and staff and found support for changing the current schedule “overwhelming,” Amole said, pointing to other school districts across the country that have successfully made similar alterations. “They have seen better achievement, less absenteeism and fewer discipline problems,” the district spokeswoman said. More than 80 percent of Cherry Creek’s survey respondents— with some variation at different schools and grade levels—thought it was “important” or “relatively important” for the district to adjust
start times. Among the 25,000 voluntary survey respondents, a minority of parents preferred keeping the schedule as is, largely for reasons of work, childcare and activity schedules. “We will not be able to come up with a model that will work for everyone,” Amole said. “Our focus here is creating the best learning environment for kids and we believe this model will go a long way toward doing that.” Under the plan, the staggered school day for high- and middleschoolers would be shortened (five to 25 minutes, due to current variables across the district), while the day for elementary schools would last about 15 minutes longer. A proposal to change the schedule will be formally presented to the school board in February.
CURRENT SCHEDULE 2016-2017 Start Dismiss High school 7:10 a.m. 2:30-2:51 p.m. Middle school 7:50-8:10 a.m. 2:50-3:10 p.m. Elementary school 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. PROPOSED CHANGES 2017-2018 Start Dismiss High school 8:15 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Middle school 8:50 a.m. 3:45 p.m. Elementary school 7:55 a.m. 2:40 p.m.