Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District moves forward with shorter school day
Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District students will be starting the day later and ending earlier, following a 7-1 board vote to alter the district’s daily schedule.
With the change, high school students will begin their days at 8 a.m. and end at 2:35 p.m. Middle schoolers will attend classes from 8 a.m.-2:35 p.m., and elementary students will start the day at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:55 p.m. Teachers will begin their days 40 minutes before students, allowing them to have a preparation period, which is included in their contract. Citing research that shows later start times are better for adolescents, district officials think the curriculum would improve and said the change would align P-O’s schedule with neighboring schools.
Elementary students’ eight-day special rotation schedule would change to a five-day rotation. With a shorter day, students would take gym, library, music, computers and art as specials — almost double the instructional time than what they currently receive.
About one-third of P-O students in grades 11-12 attend the Clearfield County Career and Technical Center. In the fall, West Branch and Moshannon Valley school districts implemented a shortened school day, and with these changes, P-O said students could miss at least a half hour of required instruction at CCCTC.
“The changes will bring our day in line with other schools, and in some cases, it is still longer,” Paladina told the CDT earlier this month.
Billie Bowery, who has a granddaughter in the district, told WTAJ — the CDT’s news partner — that she thinks the schedule change will benefit kids.
“I think it’s good for the students,” Bowery said. “We wouldn’t have to worry about them out on the roads at 6 o’clock, 6:30 in the morning.”
P-O will restructure its bus schedule to ensure secondary students come home at the same time or before their younger siblings. The district plans to put high school students on their own bus, but middle and elementary students could be mixed. Students will be assigned seats and separated by age.
“We are allowing parents to drop off their students 40 minutes early for breakfast before school, and we are working with the YMCA and staff members to help parents with coordination of care,” Paladina said.
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 4:03 PM.
