Pat-Med School Schedule Not Changing

The Patchogue-Medford School District's academic schedule for the 2013-2014 school year will be staying the same, as superintendent Michael Locantore announced at Monday's Board of Education meeting at South Ocean Middle School that the change will not be happening.

Locantore said that in the meantime he and assistant superintendent of curriculum Lori Cannetti are looking into the possibility of creating a nine-period day in the future. Locantore said that a ConnectEd message on this will be going out to parents Tuesday.

Locantore told Patch after the first half of the meeting that the idea is pushed after hearing feedback from the community on the idea at the June 13 special Board of Education meeting as well as questions from the Board had.

"We heard what the community had to say, but also the Board had several questions that they wanted more information on as to who attends extra help, how many kids attend extra help, so they wanted more data," Locantore said. "We didn’t have that data available to the board or the community, therefore we'll go back to the drawing board now and then we’ll present something hopefully in January as it relates to perhaps a new bell schedule."

The proposed schedule had increases to students' time in class re-purposed from existing down time in the current schedule, and had an earlier start to the school day at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

The schedule would have moved extra help sessions on the high school level to take place exclusively in the afternoons, and adds afternoon extra help sessions to the middle school and elementary levels. Cannetti said at the June 13 special Board of Education meeting that this would have allowed students the ability to attend extra help since the district's late buses can bring them home. Currently, if extra help sessions are offered in the morning, students might not be able to attend if they are unable to get a ride from their parents in the morning.

What are your thoughts on the schedule staying the same? Or for a possible nine-period day? Voice them by typing them into the comments section below this article. Check back to Patch for more coverage.

Also Check Out:

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Proposed Pat-Med Schedule Presentation Available

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BOE May Vote On Proposed Schedule June 24

Some Parents Upset Over District Bus Change

Updated: Pat-Med May Lengthen Class Time