School board votes to move start times later for high schools
Classes will begin at 8:30 a.m. from next year, an hour later than today
High schools in Marrow County will start at 8:30 a.m. from next September, an hour later than now, after the school board approved the change on Thursday by a vote of 6 to 1.
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The city expects to publish a first progress report in the autumn. Until then, the planning office will accept written comments by email and at the front desk of City Hall during business hours.
Local employers have welcomed the news. "Anything that makes it easier for people to get to work and back is good for us," said Dana Whitlock, who runs a family business near the marina and employs about forty people during the summer season.
The proposal had stalled twice before, most recently in 2024, when a change in leadership at the city planning office put several projects on hold. This time, officials say, the funding is secured and the contracts are signed.
What parents asked
The decision follows months of public meetings in Port Ellery, where residents pressed officials for a clearer timeline and a firm budget. Council members said the final plan reflects most of that feedback, although two of the seven seats voted against it.
"We heard the same thing at every meeting: people want to know what happens next and who is accountable," said Dana Whitlock, who chairs the committee that reviewed the proposal. "This document answers both questions."
Officials at the city planning office said the change will be phased in over the next eighteen months, starting with the neighborhoods closest to the waterfront. A second phase, covering the rest of Marrow County, is expected to begin next spring.