As the Oyster River School District considers a later start time for middle and high school students, a group of parents in the district is hosting a meeting that looks at the importance of sleep for adolescents and teenagers on March 12.
The meeting features presentations by Erin Hiley Sharp, an assistant professor of human development and family studies at UNH, and sleep physician Dr. Rachel Higginbotham. The meeting takes place on Thursday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oyster River High School auditorium in Durham.
A “working group” of district parents is studying the issue. Jennifer Lyon, a member of the group, said they plan to present a proposal for later start times to the school board soon. The meeting will not talk about the proposal, but will share the group’s findings about the impact of sleep on students, Lyon said.
In Newmarket, residents have been invited to offer ideas for options for the junior/senior high school in a series of focus groups. The sessions are organized by the town’s Joint Advisory Committee and will explore whether the town should tuition in students from surrounding communities, renovate and expand the existing high school, or build a new facility. The groups will meet on Wednesday, March 25, at the Newmarket Public Library, beginning at 2 p.m. Sessions are one hour and will end at 7 p.m. RSVP by calling 603-659-5020. — Larry Clow