Early Release Program

Early Release is an opportunity available to senior students who are on track to meet both PDE and District graduation requirements. This program allows eligible seniors to leave school early in order to attend a vo-tech cooperative program, take a college course at an area college or university, or to go to work. 

For students who choose to leave early to go to work, the following requirements must be met:

Students must be able to provide employment verification stating that they are employed at least part-time during the fall/spring semester. If the student works as an independent contractor, parents/guardians must sign off verifying that their student is working at least 10 hours per week. Employment verification AND a Release of Liability form must be completed by ALL participating students. 

• Students must be scheduled for 4 credits minimum (online, building, Vo-Tech) at Knoch every day.
• Students must meet attendance, grade, and discipline requirements as outlined below* or they will need to return for a full day for the remainder of the semester.
• Grade Requirements: Must be passing all classes as of Friday each week.
• Attendance Requirements: Cannot exceed 8 unexcused tardies or 6 unexcused absences.
• Discipline Requirements: Subject to administrative decisions per the student handbook.
• Must notify the counseling office of unemployment and submit a new verification form as applicable.
• Seasonal employment is permitted; however, you must have other employment when not in seasonal employment.
• Students will not be permitted to participate in the Early Release Program until their Early Release Forms are turned in to the Counseling Office.

Students will need to submit employment verification at the beginning of each semester. The deadline to enroll in Early Release is two days after each semester begins.

Students who participate in early release do so by their own choice and accept full responsibility for their transportation, safety, and any cost for participation upon leaving school property. It is the STUDENT’S responsibility to update the Counseling Office if they quit, are fired, or otherwise are no longer working, and to quickly provide the Counseling Office with a new verification form upon obtaining new employment.

If, in the process of conducting verification checks, the school learns a student is no longer working and they did not notify the Counseling Office, they will automatically lose the privilege of a partial school day.  In that case, classes will be added to the student’s schedule so that they resume a full-day course load.  If a student fails to turn in a new verification form in a timely manner, the above will also apply.

For students who choose to attend a college class, the following requirements must be met:

• Students must be able to provide enrollment verification stating that they are enrolled in a college or university course during the fall/spring semester.
• Students must be scheduled for 4 credits minimum (online or in-building) at Knoch every day.
• Participating students must meet all graduation requirements by the end of their senior year. Courses taken at outside institutions will not count towards graduation requirements or credits at Knoch High School.
• Students must meet attendance, grade, and discipline requirements as outlined above, or they will need to return for a full day for the remainder of the semester.

Students will need to submit enrollment verification at the beginning of each semester.  The deadline to enroll in Early Release will be two days after each semester begins.