By BECKY FLETCHE
Some thought it would never be possible, but some high school students want to start school early.
At the Provo School Board's January meeting, Patti Harrington, principal of Provo High School, suggested the high school schedule begin and end one week earlier to coordinate with local college schedules beginning next school year.
The board expressed agreement, but put off making a decision until tonight's regular board meeting at 7 p.m.
The primary reason Provo High wants to enact an earlier calendar schedule is to coordinate with local college (specifically Utah Valley State College and BYU) start and finish times.
Ending fall semester at Christmas break coincides with BYU and UVSC schedules.
Harrington says she has the support of the faculty, parents and students.
Provo High students are now taking 70 courses at UVSC or BYU. 'We hope that number would go up (if the new plan is adopted),' Harrington said.
Under the new plan, students could graduate early and start school at neighboring colleges. They could also build schedules that include college courses along with their Provo High classes.
Timpview High School is not interested in making the same changes according to an article in The Daily Herald.
Stacy Greer, a junior at Timpview will graduate a year early and graduate from UVSC in April. She plans to attend BYU in the fall and major in accounting.
Greer said she thinks 'it would be cool to have the same schedule.'
'UVSC summer school started and I had to miss the last few days of eighth grade. It was dumb,' Greer said. 'Spring break was ruined, because I was in school during both breaks.'
Timpview sophomore Paul Wright likes it the way it is. 'It might be nice,' he said. 'But it is easier when you can concentrate on one school. I would hate to have finals for college and high school at the same time.'
Wright has applied to attend BYU and Timpview concurrently next fall.
Harrington also says parents and students like the added freedom of finishing a semester before Christmas break because finals and major projects are over.