Bucks County school district starts academic year with exciting new changes

WARMINSTER, Pa. - A Pennsylvania school district is starting the new academic year with some meaningful changes to its schedule and safety procedures as the student population surges. 

Elementary schools in the Centennial School District will have a slightly shorter school day, with an extra period for student support and teacher collaboration.

"Teachers can collaborate within their school and now they can also collaborate and have professional development across our elementary school buildings," Superintendent Dana Bedden said.

The district also increased the number of safety and security staff at every building, and added more cameras. For the first time ever, they have an armed safety supervisor on site. 

The tweaks come as the district is navigating a jump in enrollment, especially in kindergarten and first grade. Bedden said homeless and ESL populations have nearly doubled this year.

"We've had to monitor class sizes and additional teachers," Bedden said. 

The district is also excited about the fall rollout of its new school bus GPS system which pairs with an app that will allow parents and guardians to get live updates on arrivals and departures.

The district's website also got a facelift over the summer, with a more phone-friendly set-up that navigates like a social media platform. A 24/7 chat system for families is still in the planning stages.