The Wissahickon elementary schedule is designed to improve services for students. By following a more efficient staff assignment model, we are able to increase the number of Health and Physical Education sessions for all K-5 students, while maintaining the same number of art and music sessions. Students will also continue to receive guidance services and enjoy a combination of formal library sessions and informal research opportunities. Regular classroom schedules are designed to create uninterrupted blocks of instructional time; in addition, the creation of a “core extension” period will allow for further differentiation and individualization of instruction for all students.

In order to achieve the goal to increase services for students, the K-5 schools will follow a 12-day rotation cycle for the special area classes (now called “encore”). Art, Music, Health and Physical Education, Library, and Guidance will no longer fall on a specific day of the week. This alleviates the concern that classes on Mondays were frequently missed due to holidays and in-services.