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 exploratory classes and difficulties scheduling band and pull‑out interventions.

What the committee proposed

- Replace the A/B 88‑minute blocks with a daily schedule that increases the number of class periods, creates short passing times between classes and ensures students see core subjects more frequently. - Make physical education a daily offering rather than an every‑other‑day class. - Offer Spanish‑language arts (SLA) as a standalone class period for dual‑language students so SLA time is not tied to ELA blocks that also include interventions. - Add additional periods that can be used for targeted tier‑2 and tier‑3 interventions, EL support, special education small‑group instruction, or enrichment for high‑achieving students.

Committee members said the new design would let interventions be scheduled based on student needs rather than being constrained by the existing block that happens to be running. “Interventions will be delivered based on student needs and not on schedule constraints,” said Lindsay Cindy, director of learning management and assessment.

Evidence and concerns

Presenters said district staff reviewed research, examined middle‑school schedules in nearby districts and surveyed students, parents and teachers. Mary Picasta, a Freedom Middle School teacher, said the committee began with the research text Successful Middle School Schedules and then compared local practices. Committee members described the main quantitative piece of evidence as the student survey responses and ongoing feedback from staff.

Administrators identified site‑specific implementation questions that remain to be resolved, including building differences (Freedom has three floors; Heritage has two) that affect passing time calculations, how to preserve district dual‑language program requirements, and planning for late starts and half days. Michelle Howe, Heritage Middle School principal, said passing periods would vary by grade and building and could be two to four minutes depending on location and time of day.

Next steps and timeline

The committee said it will continue logistics work with subcommittees, meet with exploratory teachers to plan courses and learning progressions, and solicit additional feedback from sixth‑ and seventh‑grade students and staff during initial implementation. Jory Stevens, a seventh‑grade math teacher, said an explicit goal is to standardize social‑emotional learning (SEL) time across buildings and consider rotating staff who lead SEL so students hear multiple staff perspectives.

The timeline presented is planning and refinement over the coming weeks and months; no board vote on a schedule change was recorded at the meeting. Committee members said they will return to the board with finalized schedules and communications to families once logistics and subcommittee work are complete.

Ending: The committee framed the change as aimed at equity—keeping students from losing exploratory time to interventions—while increasing opportunities for targeted support and enrichment. Presenters said more work is needed on detailed bell schedules, newcomer‑support placement and how the additional periods will be used in each building.