For the past five years, a Centre County school district has been operating on a mixed-time schedule, with older students starting and ending earlier than the younger kids.

Administrators at Philipsburg-Osceola School District are looking to match up the start and finish times for all students.

The district covers 222 square miles between Centre and Clearfield counties. Right now, there are 1,750 students between the four schools in the district. Elementary school starts at 8:45 a.m. The middle school, junior and senior high schools start at 7:30 a.m.

The first bus begins pick up at 6:15 a.m.

“That was a concern for some people in the community, some board members,” Superintendent Gregg Paladina said. “We took a look at that, along with students getting on the bus at dark.”

Paladina said the district is considering all schools start at the same time, with an 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. or an 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. school day. He said the district considered research that suggested kids need more sleep.

The idea to change the schedule has been met with mixed reaction.

“The public is very, very divided. Change is tough and change is difficult,” Paladina said. “What I think we need to do is what we do for everything. Look at the students, see what’s best for our kids and we’ll adapt our plans based on that.”

The school district will host a public meeting for parents to attend. It will begin at 7:00 p.m. on October 18 in the middle school auditorium.