Berwyn South committee proposes new middle school schedule to shorten 88-minute blocks, add daily PE and dedicated Spanish-language arts

A committee convened by Berwyn South School District 100 presented a plan to rework the middle-school schedule to reduce very long class blocks and add daily, shorter class periods that would preserve exploratory classes and create dedicated time for interventions and enrichment.

The committee presented survey results showing 675 student responses and said a “vast majority” reported they disliked the current 88‑minute class blocks. Beatrice Maldonado, assistant superintendent, said the redesign is intended to balance “academic achievement, equitable access to opportunities, and time for social‑emotional learning and well‑being.”

Why it matters: committee members said the existing A/B schedule—four 88‑minute blocks that rotate every other day—makes it hard for middle school students to attend exploratory classes (art, music, PE) consistently, to access interventions without missing enrichment, and to retain continuity in classes taught every other day. Teachers and principals described logistical issues such as students missing large portions of…