CASD Approves Suspension of Elementary Skeleton Schedule

CLEARFIELD – Parents and teachers applauded the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors for approving the suspension of the newly implemented elementary skeleton schedule at Monday night’s regular meeting.

The board voted unanimously for the suspension. Board member Dr. Tina Serafini abstained from the vote, while she had just learned of the concerns surrounding the schedule at the meeting.

Prior to the board’s discussion, Clearfield Elementary Principal Anne Herzing and Centre, Bradford and Girard-Goshen Elementary Principal Dr. Mark Dymond presented the schedule to the board.

Herzing said the schedule applied to the kindergarten through the fourth grade and was based upon a 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. school day.

“We’ve already given the teachers the bones and direction,” Dymond said.

“However, each subject area will differ based on the grade level,” Herzing said.

According to the schedule, elementary students will spend 60 to 120 minutes on language arts and reading; 60 to 90 minutes on math; 30 to 60 minutes on writing; 40 minutes on Itinerant; 30 minutes on science, health and social studies; 30 minutes for lunch; and 10 minutes for wellness.

“We’ve taken out the word recess. Recess isn’t organized. The kids need to be active. We want to get them moving,” Herzing said.

She suggested dancing, walking and exercising for wellness activities.

Dymond emphasized the schedule was not solid and the teachers were able to add and subtract based on their students’ needs.

“It’s just a skeleton. It’s flexible,” he said. “Students’ needs should drive the time spent on specific subject areas.”

Board President R. Denning Gearhart asked why the skeleton schedule was developed.

“The teachers couldn’t fit all the components in one day and requested a framework from the administration,” Herzing said.

Dave Glass, board vice president, found the presented framework unacceptable.

“Ten minutes isn’t enough for wellness. It’s important for the children to have active time. There is an overemphasis on language arts and math at the expense of social studies, health and physical education. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Dymond said the teachers have the freedom to incorporate additional free time at their discretion and wellness activities could even be included in the health units.

Teachers can have three, 10-minute wellness periods, he said.

“Then, I think we should put that in there,” Glass said.

Several board members reported the teachers felt intimidated by the schedule.

As a result, Glass suggested the administration work with the teachers rather than impose the schedule on them.

“It’s not a pro scri ptive schedule,” Superintendent Dr. Denise Keltz said.

Herzing continued to emphasize the schedule’s flexibility and said it’s up to the teachers to decide the time spent on different subject areas.

“When will the schedule go into effect,” Glass asked?

Herzing said the teachers were asked to begin on the new schedule this week.

“I think we should suspend the schedule for now. I trust our teachers. They know the time needed for each subject,” Gearhart said.

Gearhart asked Larry Putt, board member, to head a committee to promote further discussion, as well as address both the teachers’ and parents’ concerns.

After the board’s vote, parents and teachers opposed the students’ academic schedule. Both parties felt 10 minutes was not adequate for recess.

Beth Shaffer, parent, presented recent studies, which reported recess allows students to learn sportsmanship and teamwork, while also improving the students’ physical skills.

She read students should avoid prolonged inactivity of more than two hours.

“They’re holding our children to higher standards than adults who have two, 15-minute breaks and a lunch during a work day,” she said.

Shaffer said the students need 60 minutes of activity according to research. “It can be split up into 15 minute periods.

“Increase our children’s recess time and put it back in the hands of the teachers,” she said.

Brenda Orsich, learning support aide from Clearfield Elementary School, said the children need free time.

“Without free time, they’re picking on each other and causing more trouble. They need that time. They’re kids,” she said.

Orsich said the administration wants to prepare students for the middle school too early.

“They’re preparing fourth grade students for the middle school. Next year, they’ll want to prepare the third graders,” she said.
“When is it going to stop? It needs to stop now. Children need time to rest their minds in school.”

Putt assured the teachers and parents these concerns will be addressed by his committee.