Punxsutawney board hears root-cause review of high-school scheduling; dual-enrollment and CBA changes cited

Board members pressed administrators about disruptions to high-school student schedules, and district leaders described a two-part root cause that narrowed course offerings this year.

An administrator who led the discussion said the first cause was a scheduling design that did not account for a new collective bargaining agreement requiring a daily 30-minute prep period for teachers. "When we adopted the new CBA... that necessitated some shifting because teachers needed that 30 minute required prep daily," the administrator said, describing how that change reduced the number of course sections the school could offer. The second cause involved the transition back to a regular block schedule while trying to preserve high-value courses, which further limited available sections.

The administrator said the district will continue meetings through the month to determine what to keep and what to change and plans to start scheduling conversations in October with parents and staff so next year’s schedule issues are identified months rather than weeks in advance. "This will be done in a way that is sustainable long before the school year ends. That that is a guarantee that we can commit to," the administrator said.

Board members also questioned how dual-enrollment courses and AP offerings affect students' ability to fit other required courses into their schedules; administrators said there is flexibility but scheduling trade-offs can narrow options for students and that the fall planning work will explore alignment options and counseling supports.

The board requested follow-up information on kindergarten cut-off dates and the district agreed to clarify policy and timelines at a future meeting.