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Principal's Message

Melissa Bell

SMS Families:

Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, a good night’s sleep is a pillar of a healthy lifestyle.  Is your child getting enough rest each night?

Sleep is critical during the teenage years. Adolescents undergo a great deal of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, including the development of their frontal lobe. This part of the brain is responsible for judgment, impulse control, and planning. Getting quality sleep directly impacts a student’s academic performance, attention, creativity, and behavior, in addition to their mental and physical health. 

According to the CDC, the optimal amount of sleep for teens between the ages of 13 to 18 is around 8 to 10 hours a night. When the CDC analyzed data from the 2015 National and State Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, they asked students how much sleep they usually got on school nights. It was found approximately 6 out of 10 middle school students did not get enough sleep.

Here are some tips for ensuring a good night’s rest for your student:

1.  To get good sleep, you need a good bedtime. Utilize this Bedtime Calculator to decide upon the right bedtime for your child.

2.  In addition to the right bedtime, develop a relaxing bedtime routine:  

  • Shut off all electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Don’t let your child sleep with their phone or the TV on. Consider collecting your teen’s phone at night.
  • Take a warm shower or bath and brush teeth.
  •  Read a book or write in a journal.
  • Turn the lights out at bedtime. Exposure to light at night (i.e. a hallway light, nightlight, streetlights, screen glare) tricks the brain into thinking it is daytime, suppressing melatonin and delaying the body’s ability to fall asleep.

3.  Avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening.

4.  Avoid late afternoon or evening naps.

5. Encourage your teen to stick to the same sleep schedule every day, even on weekends.  

6.  Wake up when your alarm goes off in the morning with 0 uses of the snooze button.  If you can, start your morning with sunshine instead of a screen. Sunshine in the morning helps regulate melatonin levels.

Helping your child to develop good sleep habits now will provide a foundation for lifelong wellness. By prioritizing consistent rest, families help children thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally, a benefit they can carry into adulthood. 

 

Resources:

CDC: 

https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/healthyschools/features/students-sleep.htm

Sleep Foundation: 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep?scrlybrkr 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need 

Sleep Education/Bedtime Calculator:  https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/bedtime-calculator/?scrlybrkr 

 

For news and happenings at SMS, be sure to check out our April newsletter. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Melissa Bell
Principal
Melissa.Bell@sycsd.org
717-235-4811 Extension 3500

Dr. Bell's Background:

Dr. Bell holds a bachelor’s degree from York College of Pennsylvania in Secondary Citizenship Education, a master’s degree from York College in Educational Leadership, and a Doctorate degree from Immaculata University in Educational Leadership. Having worked in the education field for almost two decades, Dr. Bell has served as a high school Social Studies teacher, high school Assistant Principal, and is currently the Principal of Southern Middle School. In her free time, she volunteers as a scout leader for BSA Troops 43B and 43G and Crew 43 in Dallastown.