The William S. Hart Union High School District governing board heard from staff Wednesday on the progress being made to get the district in compliance with soon-to-be-implemented state law requiring later morning starts for students.
The board’s discussion centered around Senate Bill 328, which requires middle schools and high schools to begin no earlier than 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., respectively, by July 1, 2022.
The local district’s transition to the new schedule has been in the works since the legislation was first passed in 2019, according to administrators.
Although similar surveys were not immediately available as of Wednesday night for all the other schools within the district, district staff informed the governing board that last month the teachers of Hart High School participated in a site-based vote on a proposal to adjust the bell schedule to accommodate the required 8:30 a.m. start time for California high schools beginning with the 2022/23 school year.
The proposal passed with a 91% vote.
As of the publication of this story, the presentation set to be delivered by Michael Vierra, assistant superintendent of human resources, had not yet been completed. However, the preemptively published meeting agenda listed the following changes for the coming year:
The start times for the junior high schools would be as follows:
• Arroyo Seco 8-2:25 (late start Wednesday 9:10).
• La Mesa 8:45-3:10 (minimum day Wednesday 2:05).
• Placerita 8:10-2:35.
• Rancho Pico 8:45-3 (minimum day Tuesday 1:55).
• Rio Norte 8:15-2:30 (minimum day Wednesday 1:30).
• Sierra Vista 8:15-2:40 (minimum Day Tuesday 1:36).
The start times for the high schools would be as follows:
• Canyon 8:30-3:37 (late start Friday 9:37-3:38).
• Castaic 8:30-2:40 (period 7 ends at 3:35).
• Golden Valley 8:30-3:29 (late start Friday 9:39-2:59).
• Hart 8:30-3:35 (late start 9:23).
• Saugus 8:30-3:40 (late start Wednesday 9:19).
• Valencia 8:30-2:35 (period 7 ends at 4).
• West Ranch 8:30-2:50 (period 7 ends at 4, late start Wednesday 9:30).
• Bowman 8:30-3:30 (late start 9:15).
Academy of the Canyons was the only school listed within the Hart district to have a start time before 8 a.m. (the school day is listed as going between 7:45 and 2:55) due to the school having acquired a no-change waiver.
