Pennsbury School District to evaluate later start times – Bucks Round-Up – September 19, 2025
Pennsbury School District to evaluate later start times
The Pennsbury School District is taking a closer look at how this year’s new start times for middle and high school students are working out. The district shifted schedules in September to give teenagers more morning rest, following research that links later start times with improved sleep and academic outcomes. Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith said the district plans to measure the impact of the change through surveys and hard data. “How are we going to determine if the start time change is successful?” Smith asked. “In addition to anecdotal reports from our students, we will be releasing a survey in October. We will also be looking at attendance, punctuality, health and wellness indicators, athletics and extracurriculars, school climate and engagement, academic performance, along with student and staff well-being.” Parents, students, and staff will all be invited to participate in the October survey. A second survey is scheduled for May to provide a longer-term picture of how the changes are affecting families across the district. Pennsbury officials also plan to consult with the Regional Coalition for Adolescent Sleep, a group that studies the effects of school schedules on teenagers’ health and development. Their guidance will help district leaders weigh whether the shift is achieving its intended results or creating unintended challenges. While national advocates argue later start times help students perform better, local concerns remain about how such changes ripple through family schedules, athletics, and after-school jobs. Transportation costs, extracurricular conflicts, and the impact on working parents are issues other districts have wrestled with when adopting similar policies. For Pennsbury, the decision is still in its early stages of review. District leaders stress that feedback from families and staff will guide next steps. “We want to make sure this works for students not just on paper, but in practice,” Smith said. The district’s first survey will be released in October, with results expected to be shared publicly later in the fall.
Explosions in Southampton tied to law enforcement training
Residents in Southampton were startled Thursday by the sound of loud explosions near the old Bethanna property on Second Street Pike, prompting a flurry of calls to Bucks County’s 911 dispatch center. County officials have since clarified that the blasts were no cause for alarm. The noise came from planned training exercises being conducted by law enforcement on the property, not from any threat to the community. According to dispatchers, numerous residents phoned in to report the unusual sounds, which could be heard across the surrounding neighborhoods. The county thanked callers for their vigilance, while assuring the public that no one was ever in danger. The Bethanna property, a former children’s home and longstanding fixture in the area, has been largely vacant in recent years. Its size and secluded layout make it a useful site for training operations. Law enforcement agencies periodically conduct such exercises to prepare officers for emergency scenarios that could include the use of controlled explosives. While officials emphasized that no public threat existed, Thursday’s incident highlighted how quickly residents take notice when something unusual occurs in their community. For many, the blasts were an unsettling surprise.
Bucks County marks National Co-Responder Week
Bucks County leaders this week recognized the growing role of social workers who team up with police officers to respond to crises, highlighting the county’s Co-Responder Program during National Co-Responder Week. Currently, 27 police departments across Bucks participate in the initiative, which embeds trained social workers alongside officers on calls involving mental health emergencies, substance abuse crises, or other sensitive situations. The goal, officials say, is to provide immediate support while easing the burden on law enforcement. County Community Engagement Officer Ivone Kovalsky credited the program’s impact, noting that co-responders often meet people “on the worst day they’ve ever experienced” and help them feel “heard, understood and supported.” Bucks County now employs 10 co-responders countywide. The effort, now in its fifth year, was championed by Bucks County Commissioner Vice Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia, who praised both the officers and social workers who made it work. “I just want to say how proud I am of the police departments for giving this program a chance and for the co-responders stepping up like that,” Marseglia said. Middletown Township Police Chief Joe Bartorilla admitted there was some early skepticism when the program was first proposed. But he credited co-responder Jess LoPresti, who has worked alongside his department for the past four years, with proving the program’s value. “She has personally handled hundreds of cases guiding our officers, our township, and most of all, our residents, through some of the most difficult situations imaginable,” Bartorilla said. The Bucks County Commissioners formally honored co-responders this week with a proclamation during their regular board meeting. Supporters of the program argue it has reduced unnecessary arrests and hospitalizations, freed up officers to focus on public safety, and offered struggling residents quicker access to treatment and resources. While relatively small — ten co-responders serving a county of more than 600,000 people — officials say the initiative is drawing positive attention as other Pennsylvania counties consider similar models. As law enforcement nationwide continues to face pressure to balance public safety with mental health needs, Bucks County’s co-responder program is emerging as a model of police-social work collaboration that local leaders believe has already saved lives.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490.
