[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6304472,"mediaKeyId","2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f","parentId",2461418,"title","Board grants preliminary support to explore high‑school schedule and start‑time changes after split vote","audioSeconds",3490,"startMs",4491000,"endMs",7981000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f&start=4491&end=7981","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f/thumbnail_4491000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6304472/Pennsylvania/Board-grants-preliminary-support-to-explore-highschool-schedule-and-starttime-changes-after-split-vote","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304472-2213954c5e0f0085e9a96fe9fe5b7fa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775437082&Signature=BN1uVbf3o7hmqoj3Mx0HW8v0LKgMUo2l~YpW6KqNmfUlk3oS5jH3ktiYLmo1xA4a-q4JkLH~CYExcWd-tThdX4uHMHasUE9kz6uCEaNeh1OQ5yuiV544yYY9wCXgXt5VdCwJJHUH~wnHHAzc3I6fKTScB6KRwQEAOWozcGNf78K-HawbXVoz8f5SKlsW-6SNaG~DtTsycqqudM82ItC4MgU~5m-E~mFJqqrZ6ZO9BDt2GPTeQyqSsGlBmV8NRO1s-54pQ2Btb2jjCPW0BL2Xyc1RIGv4Kg-JwtPHPCGHXLkfPB9XaZu22Wh0Nj274ZhOvaodSPdZhs~k-eTVrVix3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-28T16:17:27Z","article","The council’s education committee considered whether to commission a formal study of the high‑school bell schedule and the related question of later start times for older students.

Committee members and administrators reviewed tradeoffs in schedule design: more daily periods (7–8 period days) increase credit‑taking options but reduce instructional minutes per course; block schedules increase per‑class time but move other tradeoffs; unit lunches or larger centralized lunch periods change cafeteria logistics and may require additional food distribution points or supervisory staff. The committee also discussed teacher load, student workload and extracurricular impacts.

Committee chair and the presenter described an earlier 2018–2019 review the district conducted and said a new study would need stakeholder surveys, site visits to other districts, subcommittees (including one to examine start times), and possibly an external consultant. The presenter said a full study, testing and implementation planning could take multiple years and that costs and district resource requirements would depend on the committee’s final scope.

After extended discussion about timing, district priorities and administrative bandwidth, the board recorded a preliminary, non‑binding count of support in favor of launching an exploratory stakeholder committee: 5 in favor, 4 opposed. Committee members requested administration provide a scoping memo that lays out estimated staff time, substitute costs for visitations, consultant options and a projected timeline and budget for committee work; several board members also recommended coordinating with other districts or county stakeholders on start‑time work.

Ending: Administration will prepare a scoping memo and proposed membership for a stakeholder committee (including a subcommittee to study start times), and will return with a timeline, preliminary cost estimate and recommended next steps before any contract or implementation action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Education Committee: February 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After a broad committee discussion, the education committee recorded a preliminary 5–4 support to convene a stakeholder committee to study the high school schedule and whether to change school start times; administration will scope the study, produce timelines and cost estimates and return with a recommended plan for next steps.","taxTitle","Council Rock SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",72557,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6304477,"Special education director reviews programs, trainings and parent advisory process",1040,6445000,7485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f&start=6445&end=7485","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f/thumbnail_6445000.jpg","/articles/6304477/Pennsylvania/Special-education-director-reviews-programs-trainings-and-parent-advisory-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304477-88d8d75543f9263cceb046b1b8199f5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775437082&Signature=fteNKenYY5fY2foh4PtEdZJHHCbYJlpINL55pxs0IvZiU9KLYU-ONqNdJg11boGmbHS~pGWWHajsfj0wRPSikE9GlXeEKHBiThvSXmamdMjxEpXCi8F6kxBg9zhJVXHw1dg56H~F~lk4AgO80vAI8pGcv6MQ87GJB6dqYq2Tb1JWu9c4LGcXdw0OrxkAcyKexVoE4GEv7E4Yo1eP0jyDNQLkQODElT6SyLyhZvAqVZIFBYD4AOuv-QqR7ve4PlPmx6IObNG8KVvOKXjrmbepGae293KvBsZnsna~N6H~MyzlOcXHCGhBhLU6wUCbWqD8MNQBAxUyQTFB~hVz~jJqXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Cantor (special education lead) briefed the committee on Special Education Department work including program models, staff training, parent engagement and compliance deadlines.

Cantor described multiple early‑literacy and intervention programs in use and in pilot: LETRS (Orton‑Gillingham‑based) training for elementary teachers, Read 180 coding at the middle level, the Aspire middle school program for LETRS implementation, EDMARK for sight words in some classrooms, and a University of Florida literacy foundation (UFLI) pilot. He said the district uses Unique Learning System as a standards‑based curriculum option for students with significant needs and noted a trial of Everyday Speech for social‑emotional and pragmatic skills.

Cantor outlined professional development and behavior supports: in‑district trainings on applied behavior analysis and VB‑mapping for autism (verbal behavior milestones), expanded work by board‑certified behavior analysts who now act as inclusion facilitators in classrooms, live‑log behavior monitoring, CPI de‑escalation training for staff and bus monitor/driver trainings with the transportation department. He also said the district engaged the Bucks County Intermediate Unit to evaluate speech‑pathology services; the IU report prompted updates including a current library of up‑to‑date testing materials and standardized schedules for speech staff.

On parent engagement and planning, Cantor described the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) and said the district is finalizing a steering‑committee review of the special education plan; the steering committee meets March 19 and the district will open a public input session on March 25. Cantor also discussed Indicator 13 (transition planning) and how the district is aligning goals to post‑secondary outcomes and reported the district’s practice of serving eligible students up to age 21.

Board members requested more detail on program descriptions and the IU speech‑pathology evaluation; Cantor agreed to provide program descriptions and the IU report for board review.

Ending: Special education leaders said they will provide program descriptions, the IU evaluation report and will follow up with CPAC and the special education plan public input schedule.","Dr. Cantor outlined autism supports, literacy interventions, staff training and the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (CPAC); the district has scheduled public input on the three‑year special education plan and is working on speech‑pathology evaluation follow‑ups recommended by the intermediate unit.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6304482,"District recommends Atlas curriculum management system; finance review set before contract",743,3603000,4346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f&start=3603&end=4346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f/thumbnail_3603000.jpg","/articles/6304482/Pennsylvania/District-recommends-Atlas-curriculum-management-system-finance-review-set-before-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304482-173d66ea97427e2764debed70774b2ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1775437082&Signature=m5Jm6qnX4jLF2LhRVKu9-VCBWcdGrTwK1PgqpFjZVQ1hyK~CAJpayV0AM7sBvyueraftX8KzSk4X7nQbIYcrE~CYOTM7BQdTLhJqE8GurakxrC9xV1bzcFVS1EJZgbnvMd1~dZ25zI4VaWWBhB93emNcQ0eoDswN7d1UfAf8KP0FvleGKzFfQTpqkfXJCFVKYdDD38n7~76MjCigEBGXJSEGezYh96pq4WvHvd-yBbEAsHtW1YGClCit5Owqh2ejI0Vv~Q6e0Oujb22jDvJavoW6NM84eTaTQrSXboivPcKpL0ZPvrBxz6mxG5TmGKEFaq6zJ~imCEcPuGam2DAYNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council Rock’s curriculum office presented the results of a request for information and a recommendation to procure Atlas, a curriculum management system, to centralize course documents, approvals, public‑facing curriculum and staff professional development.

Supervisor Tammy Gary described a multi‑stakeholder evaluation that included technology staff, curriculum coordinators and special education specialists who reviewed three vendors (PowerSchool, Atlas and Curriculum Works). The team removed Curriculum Works from consideration early because of price, and recommended Atlas because the committee judged it more focused on curriculum planning and teacher supports.

Gary said the district drew a five‑year cost and implementation plan designed to front‑load professional development and implementation support, with lower subscription fees in years 1–2 while PD runs, and higher subscription costs later as recurring licensing replaces consultant PD. She also showed a proration for an April–June startup and reported sample line items discussed in the vendor proposal: a prorated April–June fee (presented as $2,125 for the current year), recurring annual subscription figures presented in the review (examples shown: a Year‑1 recurring baseline of about $8,500 and Year‑2 recurring of about $15,184), professional development/implementation support in the first two years (presented at about $30,000 across that PD period), a separate small fee for the public website feed and an optional later “Atlas Lesson” lesson‑builder module (sample figure discussed: $10,400). Gary emphasized those figures were the vendor’s multi‑year proposal as shown to the committee and that the district built room to stage purchases so professional development and curriculum work come before optional lesson‑builder licensing.

The curriculum team demonstrated how Atlas would house approved courses, units and standards, allow public access to selected curriculum pages and provide templates and PD for teachers to author curriculum consistently. The presenters noted states are requiring regular standards review cycles; the district cited Pennsylvania “Chapter 4” requirements for course documentation and explained the system would simplify board approval, public transparency and audit readiness.

Board members asked for the exact contract terms, historical spending on prior curriculum tools, and for a line‑by‑line five‑year budget. Several board members recommended the proposal go first to the finance committee for a deeper contract and procurement review. Administration agreed to bring a finance‑committee packet and then return to the full board for contract approval.

Ending: The committee agreed to send the procurement plan and five‑year pricing to finance committee for review prior to formal board action; no final contract was approved at this meeting.","After a multi‑vendor review, curriculum staff recommended Atlas as the district’s curriculum management system; the administration presented a five‑year implementation and cost plan and told the committee it will bring costs to finance committee for review before final board approval.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6304487,"Council Rock officials outline elementary schedule, staffing plan for full‑day kindergarten rollout",1140,142000,1282000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f&start=142&end=1282","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2461418-6b558b56252731206b2c430f9f20893f/thumbnail_142000.jpg","/articles/6304487/Pennsylvania/Council-Rock-officials-outline-elementary-schedule-staffing-plan-for-fullday-kindergarten-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304487-ee08187ee735745a541ec8b5fcbef88b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775437082&Signature=e5QLGvQK4rmXcwaLvIDSCMEoDwNd~0eYGj3tphBT1cqV86RQV8QJK0902sAz-JrPBNBTBdtPXWuCXMlqrYmTUfvGGtc7fEr1PrIRjCiUQmtXrkgyug3loBcwx5dUSzCdPxcFhc-76CIa1y5lE~jHBmgcRDDp2LdvZsrL0QMG4I~ncR90bQXYGTJqhgy0aSWhKkYKMhRhnsfeJUVt5pz3uVloz2qkGMjuFBDh-7nHrn5xzlhnEgKhpdSW-KcL3gg8sLXXwXcfo9CFDrdHxq1UXITvK7X-AirFOgB7-tDixsiUCPBaiL5MGxRJ1cUBLsMt1qv5W-c8AwYh1-lshMwixw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff on Feb. 27 described a plan to add full‑day kindergarten across Council Rock elementary schools and the scheduling and staffing changes required to do so.

School administrators said they built schedules around a state requirement that elementary students be served lunch by 2 p.m., and developed options so individual schools could retain their existing lunch/recess ordering while adding kindergarten lunch and a 30‑minute daily recess for primary grades. Principals were shown a mock schedule that preserves a 20‑minute morning meeting and places specials so younger students receive core instruction in the morning and specials in the afternoon.

The district’s master scheduler, Bob Francis of Newtown Elementary, said the design starts with lunch because Pennsylvania requires elementary lunches to be served by 2 p.m. “We started with lunch,” Francis said, and then built 30‑minute recess periods and seven lunch/recess windows so every grade could be scheduled. To keep transitions manageable, he said the plan keeps five‑minute transition blocks between specials and reduces primary specials from 45 to 40 minutes to free time for a consistent 30‑minute intervention block across K–6.

Human resources director Ron Spring told the committee the staffing plan is already underway. Based on projected first‑grade enrollments the district is planning for about 17 new full‑day kindergarten teachers; Spring said principals used internal “right of assignment” moves to fill many projected vacancies and the district will post remaining open positions next week and begin earlier‑than‑usual hiring work, including virtual and in‑person job fairs. “We are currently looking to post for open positions that we know of starting next week,” Spring said.

Board members asked about enrollment trends and program impacts. Administrators said they used a multi‑year average of first‑grade counts to estimate kindergarten demand and will monitor rolling registration monthly. Several board members praised the attention to preserving morning meeting time and adding intervention minutes; others asked for historic kindergarten enrollment figures and for continued updates about support staffing (cafeteria and recess aides) and special‑education impacts.

The district also noted operational details the schools must manage: with more lunch periods the district may need additional recess/cafeteria monitors and will examine support staffing needs as early intervention and registration numbers arrive.

The presentation concluded with staff saying full‑day kindergarten remains on track for a fall launch and that planning, stakeholder roadshows and building‑level work will continue through spring and summer.

Ending: District staff said they will return with monthly enrollment updates and will post open positions as they move through the hiring process. Board members requested historical kindergarten enrollment numbers and more detail on ancillary supports (cafeteria/recess staff, special‑education coverage) as planning continues.","District staff presented a multi‑school scheduling framework for full‑day kindergarten, explaining how lunches, recesses, specials and intervention blocks will fit into the elementary day; human resources described a near‑term hiring plan and projected need for about 17 new kindergarten teachers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board grants preliminary support to explore high‑school schedule and start‑time changes after split vote

Special education director reviews programs, trainings and parent advisory process

District recommends Atlas curriculum management system; finance review set before contract

Council Rock officials outline elementary schedule, staffing plan for full‑day kindergarten rollout