New Hampshire schools could face challenges if daylight saving time becomes permanent
By Ricky Podgorski
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MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (WMUR) — Many Americans are still set to turn the clocks back this fall, but President Donald Trump is pushing for a permanent switch to daylight saving time, and parents have questions about how such a shift could affect the school day.
Daylight saving time ends Nov. 1, when clocks will be turned back an hour to standard time.
But the Sunshine Protection Act would make daylight saving time permanent. It passed the House in July but still needs Senate approval. Trump said he’s in favor of the change.
If it’s signed into law, New Hampshire schools could have some adjusting to do, with the sun not rising until after 8 a.m. some winter mornings.
“We’re actively monitoring it,” said Manchester Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel. “Either way it goes, it’s going to have an impact.”
If daylight saving time becomes permanent, students might have to wait in the dark to catch a 7 a.m. bus ride. Some parents are asking whether that’s safe, while school leaders are trying to put the mental and physical well-being of their students first.
“We’re really looking at, based on research, what’s in the best interest of students, their circadian rhythms, what do they learn best, and how do we tailor those learning strengths to our bell schedule in the district,” Chmiel said.
Manchester has discussed changing school start times if the bill is passed. But the change could also affect students’ sleep. Specialists say teenagers’ natural sleep schedules shift during puberty.
“We’ve got this kind of perfect storm,” said Dr. Jessica Watrous, chief clinical officer for Modern Health. “Teenagers are starting to shift to be a little bit later. Their schools are starting earlier. If we were to stick with daylight saving time, it’s darker.”
There would be benefits to keeping daylight saving time permanent. It would mean more light after school and no twice-yearly sleep adjustment. The New Hampshire School Administrators Association said there are benefits and challenges either way.
“But I think the fact of the matter is, kids are at bus stops walking to and from school in the dark now. It’s just a question of how many more or less occurrences of that will there be,” said Jerry Frew, associate executive director of the New Hampshire School Administrators Association.
Mark Maclean, the association’s executive director, said schools should be able to adapt.
“School administrators and teachers and parents are all expert decision makers,” he said. “As long as they’re working together, I think they can handle this really well.”
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