“Failing” School Rejuvenates Schedule

By Cheyenne Weber and Connor Hughes~

Penn Manor’s schedule is getting a makeover.

The state of Pennsylvania has deemed Penn Manor High School in Corrective Action II after students in the class of 2012 reached proficiency in math and reading in only 12 of the 17 targets. Based on this performance Penn Manor is classified as a “failing school” and Penn Manor’s staff  hopes the new schedule will redirect its path to proficiency.

Tuesday, September 6, Penn Manor High School introduced their new daily “enrichment” schedule. The new schedule consists of an enrichment period after or before one block daily.  Understanding the schedule can be difficult, but it can be easily understood as a four-day cycle.

  • Day 1, after 1st block, students will have a 45-50 minute enrichment period in their 1st block class.
  • Day 2, students will have the same enrichment period, except with their 2nd block teacher.
  • Day 3, students will have enrichment before their 3rd block, with their 3rd block teacher.
  • Day 4, students will have enrichment before their 4th block with their 4th block teacher.

This extra period introduces some options.  If a student is behind in a class or needs individual tutoring, they have the opportunity to receive the help they need during this 45-50 period.  Also, PSSA benchmark assignments will be given periodically.  The PSSA material will be incorporated with that class’s curriculum, according to assistant principal Krista Cox.

Students with sufficient grades get an additional perk.  They may choose a club if it fits into the club schedule.  Teachers may step up to create new, exciting clubs so students can have more options for which club they want to be involved with.

Members of the Penn Manor staff are excited for the new schedule and believe it will improve student productivity.

“I absolutely love it.  It’s a great way to help students from falling behind and prevents students from wondering the halls and being unaccounted for,” said Cox.

Cox believes the schedule change is for the best.  Although, teachers aren’t 100 percent positive about what the effects of the new schedule will be, they are optimistic.

“I hope the schedule works out.  I think it will because it gives us teachers a chance to enrich and mediate,” said Joe Herman, a history teacher at Penn Manor.

A few Penn Manor students have a problem with the schedule change.

“(The new schedule) is hurting a lot of classes that need longer class periods, especially AP classes,” said senior, Eddie Bley.

“The top students sacrifice class time for the bottom one-third of the school who messed up on their PSSA’s,” added Bley.