The Valley Chronicle - HUSD announces district-wide bell schedule chan

A■ Corey Evan / Reporter ttention Hemet parents and pupils: Changes are afoot, and you’re going to want to know about them! The Hemet Unified School District has announced adjusted bell schedules at all campuses. You may have to readjust your alarm clock, but it’ll all pan out. Regular start times at each school have been adjusted. It’s only a few minutes’ difference at each campus compared to last year, but it is certainly important to note so you’re not late for school! Also coming back this year is late start/early release Wednesdays. Younger students up to 8th grade get out early on Wednesday, while high schoolers get to hit the snooze button. Either way, it gives students more time to get homework done and get ahead in their studies. Why is Hemet Unified making these changes? HUSD Public Information Officer Alex Cass takes the time to explain. “We are continuously looking for ways to support our students in their academic journey. Our goal is to ensure that all of our students graduate college and career ready,” said Cass. “This time will be used for teacher collaboration time, which research shows is linked to increased student achievement. Teachers will be given weekly collaboration time on Wednesdays to achieve this goal.” One major challenge families may face regarding Wednesday schedules is making sure their student gets to and from school safely. After all, many parents work out of town or have odd schedules. Cass hopes this announcement helps give families enough time to plan ahead for the changes. “Right now we are focusing on ensuring our families are aware of the modified schedules on Wednesday,” said Cass. “We want to give our families enough notice so they can make arrangements for their child(ren) for that day.” View your school’s specific bell schedule on www.hemetusd.org. Teachers and administrators at HUSD are enthusiastic to be able to enhance their approach to student learning, according to Cass: “As a district we are excited to be able to provide time for teachers to collaboratively work together in the interest of student achievement.” HUSD wants to make sure parents aren’t in the dark about these changes. The district office at 1791 W. Acacia Ave. is open every Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 951-765-5100 to get answers to any questions you may have. Now that you know what changes have been made, and know why they’re being made, it’s up to you to turn and face the strain. Have a great day!