Thursday night a special meeting for school leaders and parents was held to lay out a plan to change when students start and finish their day.

Part of the plan would give students a half-day every other Friday. Parents and bus drivers at Friedens Elementary School Thursday afternoon described the plan as "inconvenient" and "not worth it". The proposal could not only change the district's schedule, but parent's schedules.

Paul Straka, a parent of a Somerset student, said, "We're going to have a real big difficulty taking her into school here, and unfortunately the bus ride for her to come to school is going to make her spend about 45 minutes on the bus."

Kerri Stutzman, another parent, said, "They did a new curriculum this year with their math and reading program. And that, to me, is what needs to be changed, not the time change."

According to Assistant Superintendent Dr. David Pastrick, the proposal would push the schedule for the elementary schools forward an hour, and push the high school schedule back an hour. With that change, high school students would spend 30 more hours a year in class. Elementary students would spend an additional 61 hours in class a year.

Pastrick said this plan increases the time students are taught while adjusting to how the schools function their schedules together. In the end, they hope to increase the failing scores under the "No Child Left Behind Act." Pastrick said other schools in Pennsylvania with similar plans are scoring high.

Moving the times also means a schedule change for bus drivers, who were told they'll get a raise but still aren't thrilled.

Bus driver Mardi St. Clair said his future plans depend "on what the pay raise would be or other options that they would offer us. If not, I'm done."

District officials will meet with the community at Somerset High School at 6:30 Thursday night, and a large crowd is expected to discuss this.

The school board will vote on the proposal on March 13th.