CB East adds ninth graders in district's first four-grade year

Central Bucks High School East welcomed ninth graders into its building in August for the first time under the district's grade realignment plan.

The change reshapes the high school experience for families across the Doylestown and Buckingham area. Students who would have spent ninth grade in a middle school building are now navigating hallways alongside juniors and seniors, adjusting to a new daily schedule and using facilities that did not exist a year ago. CB East, CB West and CB South all shifted to a four-grade model for the 2026-27 school year.

The realignment had been a district priority for years and was originally set for 2025-26 but was pushed back because of construction needs and further planning.

As first reported by the Bucks County Herald, Principal Dr. Chad Watters said the transition at East has gone well. The district staggered the opening, bringing freshmen and sophomores in on Aug. 31 and juniors and seniors on Sept. 1.

To help newer students adjust, East launched a monthly "Partner Advisory" that pairs an underclass homeroom with an upperclass homeroom. The program gives freshmen and sophomores built-in mentors among older students. Watters said the cafeteria has not been noticeably more crowded despite the added grade level.

East kept its 63-minute Lunch and Learn block, which splits the period so teachers eat during one half and meet with students or collaborate with colleagues during the other. Students use the time for clubs, sports, music or studying.

"It's all during the school day and it's laser-focused on learning," Watters said.

Construction at East included updates to the library, several new classrooms, a secondary café and a new gathering space called "The Commons." Watters said he wanted The Commons fitted with enough tables and chairs for students to gather and connect. The district undertook similar projects at its other schools.

Enrollment figures for CB East's expanded four-grade student body have not been published in available district records. Watters said he believes East will emerge from the transition as a stronger school community.