The middle school design team has proposed several impactful changes to address current challenges and create a more balanced and enriching school experience for our students.

First, they recommend increasing math instructional minutes to 53-60 minutes per day to align with best practices and provide deeper support for student learning. Attached to the math course is a 20-minute "What I Need" period, during which students can receive additional math intervention or enrichment from their math teacher, or support from other specialists and related service providers.

Second, the team proposes incorporating time for individualized interventions while ensuring students maintain access to exploratory offerings, so no one has to sacrifice opportunities for support or enrichment.

They also suggest adding a weekly anchor day that includes advisory and a point of connection with all classes occurring. This day would focus on building community, strengthening SEL and Profile of a Learner skills, and supporting connections across content areas.

Additionally, the team emphasizes the need for deeper learning opportunities in math, science, and social studies, with flexible time built in for hands-on projects, interdisciplinary connections, and collaboration. A flexible modified block for social studies and science means that teachers have the autonomy to collaborate and decide if a full block or split period is instructionally appropriate. Throughout the week, a student may have a combination of science or social studies blocks as well as individual periods. 

Finally, they propose adding innovative exploratory choices to expand opportunities for students to explore their interests, develop new skills, and continue to build out pathways aligned with the high school.

The proposed middle school schedule introduces several enhancements designed to better meet student needs, provide personalized learning opportunities, and address key structural challenges.  Students have many options in the exploratory paths that they choose.

This schedule includes a FLEXIBLE MODIFIED BLOCK which maintains a 2-period English Language Arts instructional block.  This slide increases mathematics instructional time to 53-60 minutes daily, aligning with best practices to ensure students have adequate time to deepen their understanding with a 20-minute WIN or What I Need period attached to math, offering individualized support for any content area including math tailored to student needs.

Social studies and science are organized into flexible time blocks that can be combined or separated depending on the instructional needs of the day. This structure supports deeper learning and hands-on projects in these critical subjects.

Students will have access to two daily exploratory classes, plus Physical Education, ensuring opportunities for enrichment and personal growth. Band and Orchestra would now be embedded in the schedule, eliminating the need for students to miss core classes to participate. Additionally, students receiving interventions will still be able to take an exploratory class, ensuring equity and access for all.

Daily PE and lunch with recess remain a part of the daily schedule, meeting students’ physical and social-emotional needs. We are looking at offering a variety of options for students to participate in during the recess period as many students have voiced they want recess time, but do not all want the traditional outdoor recess as it is now.

The schedule will also reduce 1-2 transitions per day, decrease hallway traffic, and improve overall flow.

Additionally, this structure supports the expansion of exploratory wheel classes, giving students more choices and opportunities to explore diverse interests, while fostering an engaging and supportive learning environment. 

The recommended proposal is to have a weekly anchor day which would be on Wednesday. There will be an advisory to start the day and then students will progress through all of their classes.