The School Board and teachers are recommending piloting changes in the current schedule for the 2014-2015 school year.

Two possible options are being presented: a seven day rotation where tutorial and staff development are moved to the morning, or a five day rotation where tutorial and staff development are moved to the morning and with one day when all classes meet.

Moving tutorial and staff development to the morning have been proposed to accommodate for students to sleep in.

Teachers voted on the schedule change on May 7. The schedule change has been slotted for the School Board meeting in June.

According to the 2014 PUSD teachers’ contract, for an established schedule to be changed a Recommendation Committee must be formed with administration, staff, and an APT Executive Board member. A superintendent, site administrator, and a majority of the staff must agree to the change. Then, the proposed changes must be presented to the APT Legislative Council for informational purpose. The minimum number of required instructional minutes by the state must be met. Final balloting must be by written, secret ballot.

Vice president of the Piedmont Board of Education Andrea Swenson said that making changes to school schedules is very complicated and that is why it takes so long to actually make a change.

Swenson said that she thinks that the school district is very concerned about student stress.

“This is the reason the School Board really pushed for an academic schedule that had an earlier start so students could have finals before winter break,” Swenson said.

Swenson said that the School Board becomes involved in the decision once the staff has a proposal.

“If the school day is pushed back a bit I hope [students] can get some more sleep,” Swenson said.

Assistant superintendent of educational services Randall Booker said that the past two years PMS had been looking to change their schedule. Anytime the middle school or high school looks to change schedule, the respective school looks to change thier schedule as well, Booker said.

“We do have a handful of students and teachers every year that switch between the schools and it would be nice to have a schedule between the three schools, [Piedmont Middle School, Millenium High School, and Piedmont High School] that better match,” Booker said.

Along with collaborating between schools, Booker said that the decision to change the high school schedule is to reduce student stress. With the new schedule proposed, the start time of the school day would be later than 8am. While a half hour of extra sleep a day may not seem like a lot, those hours add up each week, Booker said.

“I think the definite benefits are a healthier student body,” Booker said.

However, Booker said that anytime you start later you need to end later. Booker said that students are involved in athletics, have jobs, are tutors or have tutors, and have other outside commitments.
“I think when it comes to the sports piece it is really significant,” Booker said. “Let’s say sports begin at 3:30. The league isn’t changing their game start times. That means students miss an additional 30 minutes of last bock every time they travel for a game. That adds up quite a bit.”

Booker said that for younger families starting the school day later can be an obstacle with transportation with carpool.

“We have families with parents that need to work,” Booker said. “We have some kids that do not live close enough to walk to school or ride their bike to school.”

Booker said that he favors a five day rotation.

“It serves teachers, students, and parents,” Booker said. “The consistency is the biggest factor.”