School Start Times and Student Health - EP 9 w/ Phyllis Payne at School Start Later
Phyllis is a dedicated advocate at Start School Later, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting healthier school start times. With extensive experience in education and community outreach, Phyllis plays a crucial role in raising awareness about the benefits of aligning school schedules with adolescents' natural sleep rhythms. She works with school districts nationwide to implement changes that improve student well-being, academic performance, and mental health.
In this episode of the REM Reward Podcast, Ryan Shintani sits down with Phyllis from Start School Later (SSL) to discuss the Let's Sleep! initiative and the movement to push for later school start times. They explore SSL's origins, current collaborations with school districts, and the nationwide goal of adjusting school schedules to better align with adolescents' natural sleep rhythms.
Phyllis addresses common misconceptions about sleep and school start times, the challenges and benefits of implementing these changes, and how cultural attitudes influence the debate. They also cover the impact of inadequate sleep on academic performance and mental health, as well as strategies for promoting healthy sleep habits among students.
Resources/Links Mentioned:
School Start Later - startschoollater.net
Let's Sleep! - letssleep.org
The Attorney's - schoolstarttime.org