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South Kingstown panel hears Brown University expert on later high‑school start times
Summary
A Brown University clinician told the South Kingstown School Committee that later high‑school start times improve sleep, mental health and safety; committee members agreed to pursue broader community engagement and study options before any schedule change.
Dr. Megan Douglas, a retired clinical assistant professor affiliated with Brown Medicine, told the South Kingstown School Committee on Monday that most teenagers need about 9 to 9½ hours of sleep and that biological circadian shifts commonly push adolescents to fall asleep near 11 p.m., making very early school start times physiologically mismatched.
Why it matters: Committee members and the wellness committee said later start times have been tied to better daytime alertness, fewer sports injuries, reduced motor‑vehicle crashes and improved academic participation in districts that…
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