Last night’s Indiana School Board meeting was focused on high school programming restructuring that could help offset future deficits.

High School Principal Wade McElheny gave a presentation on several key restructuring points. The following are all scheduled to take effect in the 2013-2014 school year:

• Dual enrollment with IUP andWestmorelandCountyCommunity Collegeis now extended to eligible juniors.
• Students can take remedial courses for Keystone exams if they don’t achieve at least a proficient score. These remedial courses will count towards elective-based credits when they complete the remedial course. This last part is to help students graduate on time.
• Eligible seniors interested in pursuing a college degree in education can take credit-based internships at the elementary and middle schools.
• Students can be dismissed from the school year early as long as they complete the necessary requirements.

The school board authorized the administration to modify the senior high schedule to a 10 period system. This means nine class periods plus lunch. The classes would be 39 minutes long with a 2:40 dismissal time. This would also mean that the elementary is dismissed 10 minutes later.

McElheny said that it was a “bold and ambitious timeline” to help offset the projected $1.2 to $1.5 million deficit.

The board also gave the go-ahead to the Challenger Learning Center committee to begin an application to have a center in Indiana.