Fellow Boulan parents,

For the 2026-2027 school year, Boulan Park Middle School students are set to experience a significant change. As Boulan undergoes renovations, students will be relocated to the old Smith Middle School building, approximately five miles further from the current school location. Despite this increased distance, Boulan is likely to maintain its early start time of 7:52 a.m. This decision unfairly burdens students, disturbs their sleep schedules, and can negatively impact their overall well-being and academic performance.

Sleep research consistently demonstrates the importance of adequate rest for teenagers, whose natural sleep cycles tend to make early mornings challenging. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adolescents need 8-10 hours of sleep per night, yet two-thirds of middle and high school students report getting less than 8 hours. 

Given these facts and the additional travel burden imposed on Boulan students, we are calling for a restructuring of school start times. A logical and straightforward solution would be to swap the start times of Boulan and Smith Middle School, allowing Boulan students to begin their school day later at 8:17 a.m. This change would alleviate the stress of longer travel times, enable better rest, and create a healthier school environment for our children.

Let us prioritize our students’ health and academic success by making Boulan Park Middle School a late start school. We need your help before the district makes its final decision in the coming weeks. Please sign this petition to support a change in start times that considers the well-being of Boulan students.

Thank you for your support!