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Chester County Junior High showcases STEM; district outlines weekly common planning plan for teachers
Summary
Teachers and students demonstrated new STEM work at Chester County Junior High; district leaders described a plan to use administrative days to provide weekly common planning time for educators in the 2025–26 school year.
Chester County Junior High presented student STEM projects and a plan for expanded district professional development during the board's meeting.
Teachers Amber Murley (eighth-grade STEM) and Carrie Daniel (seventh-grade) described classroom work made possible by an innovative school model grant and showed projects produced on 3D printers and a Glowforge laser cutter. Students described plans to produce spirit shirts, aprons and other items to raise funds for STEM supplies.
Director Kilzer briefed the board on the 2025–26 district calendars (both 180-day and 200-day options posted at chestercountyschools.org) and proposed using 2.5 administrative days to create weekly common planning time in 30-minute increments across roughly 30 consecutive weeks so teachers have an hour of shared planning each week without changing student transportation schedules. Kilzer described the approach as a way to build a "culture of collaboration" and said the district will communicate details to families before the school year begins.
Board members questioned implementation logistics for elementary schools — supervision for younger children and whether support staff numbers are sufficient — and Kilzer said the district will survey families and collect data to refine the plan before adopting a schedule. He also noted opportunities to participate in peer professional-development events, including a PLC seminar hosted by Williamson County.
The STEM presentation emphasized career-path exposure through CTE elements (hospitality and tourism, sewing) and community partnerships; teachers said some equipment was donated by community members.
