The Hempfield Area School District is contemplating a shift in school start times and bus schedules to get students home earlier, a move that has stirred varied responses from parents and guardians across the community. As per the proposal discussed, high school and middle school students would see their day begin at 7:30 a.m., a change that aligns both groups on the same schedule, with dismissal set for 2:30 p.m. As reported by CBS News Pittsburgh, this adjustment would see high schoolers starting 10 minutes later and ending 15 minutes earlier than the current schedule. Elementary school students would kick off their day an hour earlier at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:20 p.m.
While some parents, like Jamie Bailey, are optimistic about the proposed changes, stating, "It's going to be a good thing for me as a mom," as she stated, as per CBS News Pittsburgh, others remain concerned. For instance, Brianne Ordelt Reed told WTAE, "The impact it will have on neurodiverse students who struggle to sleep and get to school on time this year is huge." The diversity of opinion underscores the complexity of the issue facing the school board as they approach a final decision.
From the standpoint of logistics, the district sees the alteration in times as a move towards more efficient use of resources, particularly with regard to the buses, which serve the expansive 95-square-mile area covered by the school district. According to CBS News Pittsburgh, the proposed schedule would enable buses to operate at full capacity and reduce the number of trips made for high schoolers. This would, in theory, free up more buses to cater to the elementary students.
However, addressing family concerns such as those raised by Nicole Lemaster, who spends $63 a week on her son's before-school program, as detailed by TribLive, "I'm worried as a working parent … that, if they make this change, what are we going to do for after-school care?" poses a significant challenge. This is paramount for those with children too old for daycare yet too young to be comfortably left alone for long periods after the proposed early dismissal.
The Hempfield Area School Board will vote on the schedule changes for the 2025-26 academic year on April 21. As detailed by TribLive, the meeting will be held at the Hempfield Area Administration Building and will begin at 7 p.m.
