Wake up, LM!

Zoe Hassett ’23

News Editor

Only one full month into the new year, LMSD is already taking great leaps to solve an ongoing issue: changing school start times. On January 23, during the monthly Regular Business Meeting, the Lower Merion School Board approved a resolution aiming to progress investigations and engagement opportunities related to healthy start times. The most signifcant aspect of this unanimous decision, however, was the establishment of September 2023 as the targeted implementation date for new start times. This marked a huge development in LMSD’s commitment to ensure the health and wellness of its students.

As recommended by medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, adolescents should be receiving eight to ten hours of sleep per night, making the current 7:30 a.m start for LM and Harriton students incompatible with an adequate amount of sleep. Due to these fndings, LMSD began to seriously look into changing school start times in 2019, with more recent activity beginning in 2022. Within these last few years, several potential plans of action emerged and were discussed by

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Mumin brings a range of diferent understandings to the position. Mumin has previously afrmed his aims for equal opportunity for students regardless of the neighborhood they live in. Upon his ascent to superintendent, Mumin received further statewide recognition. The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators awarded Mumin with 2021’s Pennsylvania Superintendent of the year. Mumin also became a fnalist for the National Superintendent of the Year commendation. The Governor’s office notes their educational priorities as preparing students for careers, improving postsecondary education opportunities, and offering quality early education to all Pennsylvania residents. Mumin offers a perspective in accomplishing these aims of greater educational equality, in part due to his diferent perspectives regarding the direction of school districts of varying wealth.

On a more personal note, those who worked with Mumin mentioned his approachability and unique ability to work with others and the community. “He has a great skill of…really truly listening to people and building bridges to beneft our students [and] really to beneft the whole community,” mentioned LMSD Director of School and Community Relations Amy Buckman. This ability to work with others proved an integral part of his success as superintendent. Within the brief time he served, he moved forward with the initiatives that he had originally intended to accomplish. As initiatives such as start times and Full-Day K moved forward, Mumin’s guidance proved integral in these program’s mate- rialization. However, recent compromises with students on the use of Oakwell were indicative of his approach to leadership. Reflecting on the new Oakwell plan, Buckman stated, “[Mumin] stepped in, he used his listening skills and energy to bring diferent groups of people together to the table to come up with a solution.”

However, as he exited the district, Mumin expressed remorse at his departure from the position. While looking forward to his new role, he remained grateful for the opportunity to serve as superintendent for the district. “I want to thank everyone who welcomed me and supported me during my time in LM. Being a part of this community has been a dream come true,” wrote Mumin in his letter to the community announcing his departure from the district. Yet, Mumin remarked that he would look back to LMSD as an example for the state. “LM is a premier district, from which many others in our Commonwealth can learn,” mentioned Mumin. He noted that the district’s commitment to cultivating academic excellence through embracing “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” as well as the “opportunities for meaningful professional development, innovation, and collaboration” served as models for success. These perspectives are likely to infuence Mumin in his new position. School Board President, Lucy Klain, ofered that while the district is “saddened to lose Dr. Mumin, we know that his energy and expertise will be benefcial to students across Pennsylvania.” Mumin, even in his short time as superintendent, left a meaningful impact on the community and the district itself.

Please see ARDMORE TO HARRISBURG: PA EDUCATION SECRETARY KHALID MUMIN on page 4 the Research and Development Committee and the Sleep, Health, and School Schedules Advisory Committee. One of these proposals, called the Modifed Re-order, was presented in 2019 and consisted of a three-tier schedule, starting elementary school frst at 7:45 a.m, then high school at 8:25 a.m, and fnally, middle school at 9:05 a.m. Currently, a diferent proposal, known as the Secondary Swap, is moving forward, which places middle school in the frst tier from 8:00 a.m to 2:50 p.m, high school second from 8:40 a.m to 3:30 p.m, and elementary school third from 9:20 a.m to 4:20 p.m.

During her presentation at the January board meeting, Acting Superintendent Megan Shafer emphasized the necessity of fnalizing a schedule that best suits as many members of the LM community as possible, also acknowledging that there will be trade-ofs and obstacles. For instance, some express concern over the potential negative impact that the Secondary Swap could have on middle school adolescents’ health, since it shifts their start time ffteen minutes earlier from 8:15 a.m to 8:00 a.m. This especially worries some Black Rock Middle School parents, who claim that their children already have to wake up before 7:00 a.m to make it to their bus on time. As a result of the discourse surrounding sufcient sleep for middle school students, some school directors and LMSD community members urge the reconsid-

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LM’s annual performance attempted to fnd a new planet page 14 eration of the Modifed Re-order plan, which would switch middle school to the third tier and elementary school to the frst tier. Those in support of this solution argue that younger students tend to be more awake at the earlier hours of the day compared to adolescents, and having an early start time for elementary schools may also eliminate early morning childcare needs for certain families. Elementary school parents went on to mention that a start time as late as 9:20 a.m may harm students who rely on earlymorning school breakfast. Though, as explained by Shafer, there are also trade-ofs associated with the Modifed Re-order, noted by various other members of the school board.

After school board members voiced concerns about the “Secondary Swap,” they ultimately agreed on the proposed schedule.

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