PORTLAND, Maine — Times are changing for students in the Portland Public Schools, after the Portland Board of Public Education voted Tuesday night to change times school days start and end next year.
Students will spend an extra 20 minutes in class, and some younger students will start their day earlier.
Depending on where you live, the start and end times will change starting next fall. Here is the breakdown for schools:
Elementary Group 1 –
(East End, Longfellow, Lyseth and Presumpscot schools)
Start: 7:45 a.m.
End: 2:15 p.m.
Elementary Group 2 –
(Hall, Riverton, Ocean Avenue and Reiche schools)
Start: 8:05 a.m.
End: 2:35 p.m.
Middle Schools & Bayside –
(Moore, Lincoln, Bayside and Special Education schools)
Start: 8:35 a.m.
End: 3:05 p.m.
King Middle School –
Start: 7:55 a.m.
End: 2:25 p.m.
High School –
(Deering, Portland and Casco Bay high schools)
Start: 8:00 a.m.
End: 2:30 p.m.
District leaders considered moving the high school start times earlier, but opted not to vote on that part of the plan. Instead, they will extend the school day by 20 minutes at the end of the day. Many who spoke out during Tuesday’s public hearing were afraid their high school children wouldn’t be able to participate in extracurricular activities or they would get home too late to do homework.
The board voted to create a task force with members of the school board, public, and medical community to evaluate start and end times and the effect on students in the school system.