The Park Ridge CCSD 64 Board of Education voted April 17 to adopt a new middle school schedule designed to increase instructional time in English language arts and mathematics, move the district to a common trimester calendar and preserve student choice in electives.

Assistant Superintendent for Student Learning Samantha Alaimo told the board the change responds to district assessment data showing reading and math growth below pre-pandemic targets. The middle school review committee'which included Emerson and Lincoln teachers, administrators and staff'worked eight months, held eight meetings and considered dozens of sample schedules before recommending the plan approved by the board.

Under the approved plan, core classes will be lengthened into double blocks (roughly 80 minutes for core double-blocks), the district will adopt a single common bell schedule across middle schools, and all middle school courses will move to trimester terms to simplify rotations. The proposal keeps teaming and homeroom/advisory for social-emotional learning and student well-being, maintains lunch and recess minutes, and preserves 12 elective choice slots across seventh and eighth grades by integrating health into PE for a quarter within the trimester structure.

Stakeholder input drove the committee's priorities, Alaimo said: students told administrators they value adult connections, teaming and elective choice; families emphasized rigorous core instruction and support for diverse learners; and staff prioritized additional ELA time, a common bell schedule and opportunities for teacher collaboration. The district also collaborated with neighboring District 207 for input on career-technical, health/wellness and fine-arts sequencing to improve alignment for students who transition to 207's high schools.

The board approved the schedule on a roll-call vote after a presentation and Q&A. Board members asked about implementation details; Alaimo said the district will build mock schedules in PowerScheduler for 2026-27, provide professional development for teachers shifting from 50-60 minute lessons to 80-minute blocks, and run a curriculum/program review in 2025-26 for several elective areas, including industrial technology and family and consumer sciences.

Alaimo said the new schedule is intended for implementation in the 2026-27 school year, with periodic evaluation by the middle-school review committee to gather feedback and make adjustments after rollout.