Concluding an episode that had left teachers and students worried over school start time changes, the Wauwatosa School Board voted Monday to standardize all school start times.

On Monday, May 7, the board adopted a new schedule for Elementary, Middle, and High School start times for the 2012-13 school year. High Schools start at 8:10 a.m., and Middle and Elementary Schools start 10 and 20 minutes later, respectively.

Before the board voted to approve this proposal, the proposal had been to start school for High Schools at 7:40 a.m. This had worried some students and teachers, who felt that this was too early for the schools to start. Demaris Purifoy, a freshman, was vehemently opposed to the 7:40 start time. “I have trouble getting to school right now,” he said, “so how am I supposed to get to school at 7:40?” Many others agreed, and partly due to input by these people, the proposal was changed, being modified for Wauwatosa West and East to start school at 8:00.

The standardization of the start times provides some organization to the district. As Michael Meier, Wauwatosa School Board Vice President, says, “it’s good to have consistent start times in the district.” Also, the way the start times are staggered into ten minute intervals is expected to help with traffic and safety concerns.