Parents ask board for answers after fourth- and fifth-grade class-switching changes; administration says review ongoing

A parent at the April 22 Marple Newtown board meeting asked why fourth- and fifth-grade classes were no longer switching during the day, saying the change was not widely communicated to families.

Dean O'Neil, who identified himself as a parent with students at Wuerl and Paxton, said teachers told parents that classes in fourth and fifth grades would not switch and that parents were being informed informally rather than through district channels. “I was always under the impression that they switched learning, progressing, you know, to kinda keep at the same pace so there's no child either left behind or a child that's bored,” O'Neil said.

A staff member who answered the question, identified in the transcript only as Kevin, said the district was still “processing what it looks like” and that “that plan has not… nothing has been finalized. Once we process, we… we will” communicate next steps. The staff member said it would be premature to share a formal plan while the district continued its internal review.

Board members and administrators said they are working through the details and that timelines for parent input or formal presentations were not finalized at the meeting. The transcript does not show a formal vote or policy change had been adopted; parents asked for advance notice and an opportunity to provide input if the district moves forward with a scheduling change.

Clarifying details

• Parent concern: fourth- and fifth-grade class-switching will stop; parents were not formally notified prior to learning informally via teacher conferences.

• Administration response: review and processing ongoing; “nothing has been finalized” and formal communication is pending.