Uniontown pushes back start date for high school students only
School officials in the Uniontown Area School District have announced a second delay in the start of school for high school students only.
According to Dr. Charles Machesky, district superintendent, due to ongoing renovations at the high school, the start date has been pushed back for those students to Sept. 12.
Machesky said all other students attending all other schools in the district will report to class on Sept. 6 as previously announced.
Construction crews are still working on a staircase at what will be the new entrance to the school that must be brought up to state code, at least for emergency use only, before students can occupy the building. But Machesky said he doesn’t anticipate the entrance staircase being finished in enough time to prepare to open the doors by Monday.
“We need the time to get the loose ends cleaned up,” he said. “If they do have the staircase finished even by this weekend, if we open the school on Sept. 6, it doesn’t give us enough time to clean and get the furniture moved in. I’d rather wait on starting school there to make absolutely sure that the school is clean and safe for the students.”
The new start date for high school students will be four days later.
“What we intend to do is use the three Act 80 days that have already been approved by the state,” Machesky said.
On those days, which are Nov. 10, Dec. 14 and Feb. 15, Machesky said high schools students only will report to class to make up three of the lost four days. He said all other students in all other schools will not attend school on those days.
“That leaves us with one more day and I’ve applied to the state for another Act. 80 day. We have enough instructional hours for another one and the date we are applying for is May 15,” Machesky said.
As with the other Act 80 days, only high school students will attend that day if approved by the state.
Machesky also noted that graduation is still scheduled for June 4.
According to Machesky, the four-day delay for high school students will not impact the transportation schedule already set as buses will run normally beginning Sept. 6 for elementary and middle school students and resuming with high school student pick ups on Sept. 12.
He also noted that UASD students who attend the Fayette County Career and Technical Institute have the option to attend classes when the vocational school opens on Sept. 6, but will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the vocational school. Transportation for FCCTI will begin from the high school on Sept. 12.