Letter: Praise 9 a.m. start at Jericho High
Jericho High School, located at 99 Old Cedar Swamp Road, is seen here on March 26, 2012. Credit: Nicole Bartoline
Having retired after 34 years of teaching at Jericho High School, I am very proud to see the school at 27 on Newsweek's ranking of the top 500 high schools in the country ["Jericho H.S. among top," News, Aug. 20].
Jericho has always had excellent students and educators. But there may be another, unsung reason for Jericho's success. It has the latest starting time, 9 a.m., of any high school on the Island.
Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control shows that getting enough sleep -- 8.5 to 9.5 hours a night -- is important for adolescents' health, safety and academic performance.
I hope other high schools follow Jericho's example.
Bob Hoffman, Jericho
