North Hills superintendent proposes school time change
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Superintendent Dr. Pat Mannarino presented a proposal to the North Hills School Board at the Monday Dec. 3 combination work session/legislative meeting to alter the start and dismissal times for district high school, junior high, and elementary schools.
North Hills Senior High School, grades 9-12, would begin its school day 20 minutes earlier at 7 a.m. and dismiss 45 minutes earlier at 2 p.m. North Hills Middle School, grades 7 and 8, would start 10 minutes earlier at 7:50 a.m. and dismiss five minutes later at 2:50 p.m.
Highcliff and West View Elementary would start and finish 30 minutes earlier from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., while McIntyre and Ross Elementary would start and finish 15 minutes later at 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
- McIntyre and Northway: Cindy McCarthy, cynthia.s.mccarthy@gmail.com
- Ross: Janet Lukac, janetlukac@comcast.net
- West View: Chris Nolan, mamachris@comcast.net
- Highcliff, Perrysville and Seville: Nicolette Lawry, nicoletterenea@yahoo.com
The district also states the new school times will allow for a reduction in the number of buses transporting students because of less down time between bus runs. Transportation costs total more than $2.5 million or roughly four percent of the total general fund budget. According to the district's evaluation, the transportation budget could be gradually reduced by a figure somewhere in excess of $232,000 to $417,000 by altering the start and dismissal times and cutting between five and nine buses.
A decision is required by February 18, at which time the school board will likely vote on whether to enact the new school hours. In the interim, parents are to contact a PTA/PTSO Task Force representative assigned to their child's school in order to voice their support or concerns. These representatives will be holding weekly meetings with the district's Education Committee between now and February to discuss implementing the measure.
First Published December 3, 2012 10:42 pm
