Hempfield Area school board approves changes to start, dismissal times for students
The Hempfield Area School District board has approved changes to start and dismissal times for students.
For high schoolers at Hempfield, things are slightly different.
High school will start at 7:30 a.m. and finish at 2:30 p.m. This is a minor change. Currently, high school starts at 7:20 a.m. and ends at 2:45 p.m.
Middle schoolers will also start at 7:30 in the morning and end at 2:30 in the afternoon. This is the biggest change because currently, middle school begins at 8:30 a.m. and has a 3:20 p.m. dismissal.
Essentially, next year, middle schoolers and high schoolers will be on the same schedule.
Now for the elementary schools.
Elementary school kids will start at 8:45 and end at 3:20 instead of starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 3:40 p.m.
KDKA-TV spoke briefly with Hempfield's Superintendent Dr. Mark Holtzman, who says this is a change that is a long time in coming and one that they had to make to not only help with school efficiency, but to help with the bus driver shortage, which Hempfield and other school districts are facing.
Holtzman went on to say that most people are on board with the time change, but that they are listening seriously to all feedback.
KDKA-TV also spoke with a few Hempfield residents when these changes were proposed, and most said this makes life easier.
"I think it is a good idea," said Denise Lavelle, a Hempfield area grandparent. "It probably would help with the bus situation. It wouldn't be so crammed up."
"I have a ninth grader, 10th grader, and seventh grader," said Hempfield parent Jamie Bailey. "The middle schooler would now leave at the same time, and that helps me start work earlier."
These changes will officially be implemented for the 2025-26 school year. This year, current school schedules still apply.
