All options remain on the table for Brandon School Division (BSD) as Manitoba has eliminated daylight saving time.
BSD CEO Jon Zilkey said the school division could change start and end times for schools in the future based on attendance and grades.
“We’ll monitor attendance throughout the year to see if there are any noticeable changes. We already track attendance annually, as required by the province, and report those numbers to both the province and the school board. It will be interesting to see whether this has any impact on attendance or if we notice any differences.”
A study by the Canadian Sleep Society, involving researchers in Manitoba, found that areas including Brandon and Winnipeg having sunrises after 8 a.m. during the shorter days of the year would impact students and workers waking up around that time.
“This challenges the key role of morning light for circadian alignment and sleep deficits.”
Moving the clocks forward an hour is often associated with a loss of sleep.
“Not only does DST induce sleep deprivation at its inception in the spring, but it enforces later darkness during the summer, favouring delayed bedtime, social jetlag and more sleep loss.”
The time change has also had a noticeable impact on BSD students.
“The March time change, in particular, has been difficult for students. When the clocks move forward, waking up at 7 a.m. can feel like waking up at 6 a.m. We’ve sometimes noticed an increase in challenging behaviours during March as students adjust to the time change and their sleep patterns are disrupted,” said Zilkey.
While Zilkey couldn’t say whether eliminating the time change would have a positive impact, he noted that maintaining a consistent schedule could be beneficial.
“Any consistency we can put in our system for students and staff and parents, I think, is always a good thing. So I do see that as being a positive, not having any changes in their patterns.”
One area BSD is looking at following the time change is the safety of walkable pathways around schools.
“We will be meeting with the city to discuss potential solutions. There are likely some pathways that will need to be examined, and that is a process we will have to begin.”
Zilkey declined to comment on what that process might involve.
If students are struggling with the new time regulation, Zilkey advised them or their parents to notify their respective school.
“We have a great student services team at every school that can support both parents and students in developing a plan and providing whatever assistance they may need, including counselling and other supports.”
