The early bird may get the worm, but administrators at three South Jersey high schools think a good school day should start a little later in the day.

Beginning at the start of the 2017-2018 school year, the school day will begin 20 minutes later for the high schools in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District; Absegami, Oakcrest and Cedar Creek.

According to Shore News Today, homeroom next year will begin at 7:45am at the schools, instead of the present 7:20am start time. School officials point out that students are now entering school as early as 7am, and they would benefit from a little more sleep in the morning. Dismissal time will remain at 2:30pm.

The later start time is only one of a number of changes planned for the school schedule.

In a letter to students and parents last week, Greater Egg School District Superintendent John Keenan announced that classes next year will be 58 minutes instead of 45 minutes. Keenan explains that many of New Jersey's schools use the longer class time model.

The school district will be implementing a four-day rotating schedule that allows the schools to continue to run eight periods, but only six classes will meet per day on a four-day rotation. Two classes drop each day.

Keenan said the new schedule also allows for longer instructional periods and more opportunities for science labs.Students won't have the same class at the same time each day and students spend more time in the classroom over the course of the school day.

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