New Middle School Schedule Would Feature Shorter—But More—Classes

Shorter classes, but more of them. 

That's the gist of a class schedule proposal for next year at Keith Valley Middle School. 

In an attempt to become "more efficient and focused on the whole child," Keith Valley Principal Jon Kircher and fellow middle school administrators have asked the Hatboro-Horsham School Board to consider shifting from a semester to a full year of science and social studies classes. The change, if enacted, would mean that students would have four 60-minute "core classes" instead of three 80-minute classes each day and all year, according to KV Assistant Principal Joseph Devine. 

"We increase the opportunity for inter-disciplinary work," Devine said during Monday's school board meeting. 

Under the suggested schedule change, students would spend 90 minutes in creative arts, gym, world language and music classes, as compared to the current 80-minute classes, Devine said. 

"We increase the meaningful time of teachers in front of students," he said.

As the district struggles to close a budget shortfall and contemplates teacher furloughs, Kircher said an upside of the proposed schedule shift is that, "no new staff is needed." Devine said it could be accomplished with "four teams involving four teachers."

Keith Valley Assistant Principal Sarah Stout said 85 percent of the school's roughly 1,200 students are performing either at or above their respective grade levels. But, the shift would "help students make connections between disciplinary areas."

Assistant Superintendent John Nodecker said the approach would allow staff to look at every student to ensure the district has yielded "100 percent of everyone’s potential."

Nodecker said that learning difficulties, should they arise, could be addressed "immediately."

"This will allow kids not to fall behind," Nodecker said.

The board took no action on Monday. Board Vice President Louis Polaneczky told Patch that the board would likely approve it in April as long as scheduling was able to be worked out with the teaching staff.