Students say new eight-period day widened course access, eased college planning

Mikaela Vella, a junior at Plainfield North High School, told the Board of Education on Sept. 10 that Plainfield's new eight-period day "has been a magnificent addition to my educational experience." Vella said the schedule allowed her to take American Sign Language all four years while meeting college credit and graduation requirements.

Ashley Elliott, a senior at Plainfield North, said the eight-period day "makes it possible for me to balance my senior privileges while preparing for my future" and allowed her to take marketing courses that align with her college plans. Nadia Arellano, a junior, described the eight-period schedule as creating "new opportunities to take classes in order to increase my GPA." Students also noted the schedule keeps the district's late arrival.

Nut graf: Students and a parent praised the schedule in public comment, saying it expanded access to electives and advanced coursework without forcing students into summer school.

Board and community response: A parent and board members thanked students and administrators for taking the schedule risk; one board member said, "Thank you for approving that and making that go through," reflecting that the board had implemented the schedule before the Sept. 10 meeting. The transcript contains no formal vote text in the public segment of this meeting.

Why it matters: Students described practical benefits including the ability to take courses required for college admission (for example, four years of a language), increased options for electives, and reduced need for summer school. Several students linked the schedule to expanded extracurricular participation and college readiness.

Ending: The transcript records gratitude from students and parents and suggests the district will monitor outcomes; no additional policy action or evaluation schedule was specified in the recorded remarks.