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High school schedule changes create a few AP conflicts; administration to report counts and options
Summary
Administrators and board members discussed scheduling conflicts under the district’s new bell schedule that forced a small number of students to choose between AP classes; staff agreed to provide counts of affected students and describe alternatives such as online 'singleton' classes and academy options.
Punxsutawney Area School District administrators told the board on Monday that the high school’s new daily schedule has produced a handful of course conflicts—most notably between AP Calculus (a two-period block) and AP Literature—and the district will provide counts and possible resolutions at the board’s request.
What was said: High school administration reported the transition to 40-minute daily periods (instead of longer block periods) has generally gone well but produced unanticipated conflicts when some AP courses overlapped. Administrators said they had worked to offer students alternatives, including online singleton classes through the academy, and that the guidance department was exploring scheduling adjustments for future years.
Board concern and next steps: Board members asked for the scale of the issue. One member asked for the number of students required to take singleton/online classes because of conflicts. The high school administrator said the number affected by the specific AP‑Calc/AP‑Lit conflict was “a very, very small number” but agreed to provide exact figures. The board requested a follow-up report with counts of students affected and the number enrolled in singleton/academy classes so the board can evaluate whether further schedule adjustments are needed.
Dual-enrollment note: Board members also raised questions about dual-enrollment credits and transferability to other universities. Administration said the district’s liaison from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) meets with students during scheduling to explain dual enrollment and advised families to check transfer policies at prospective colleges; administrators said transferability varies by receiving university and may be treated as elective credit by some institutions.
Other items: The high school reported several beginning-of-year events (senior-kindergartner introduce event, meet-the-teacher night) and upcoming activities including military/first-responders night and homecoming-related visits to elementary students. The board also discussed selling or discarding outdated musical keyboards from the music department; administrators agreed to check whether the keyboards are functional and could be resold.
Ending: Administration will provide numerical counts and options for students affected by scheduling conflicts and return with recommendations on whether to adjust course placements for next year.
