Rogers Middle School principal outlines synchronized schedule, long block, recess and STEAM expansion

Rogers Middle School Principal Liam McAllister presented a revised school schedule at the Rockland School Committee meeting on Monday, Sept. 8, saying the plan keeps the existing six-day, six-period rotation but synchronizes periods across the building and adds a longer fourth-period "long block," restored recess for fifth- and sixth-graders and expanded STEAM and world-language offerings.

McAllister said the changes were designed to reduce scheduling conflicts for staff who serve students in multiple grades and to give longer contiguous time for labs, project-based learning and diagnostic testing. "The big change that we ended up doing is creating that that block in the middle, our fourth period, calling it our long block," he said.

The principal said the school day start and end times remain the same so families will see little change to pickup and drop-off routines: "Our doors still open at 07:55, our school day still ends at 02:40." He described the long block as providing roughly an 87-minute period for seventh- and eighth-graders while preserving a 30-minute lunch.

McAllister listed operational benefits from synchronizing the building schedule. Under the new layout, he said, English learner and other staff who previously faced simultaneous assignments across different periods will be able to serve students without conflicts. "So by synchronizing the entire building to be on the same schedule offers us an opportunity to better utilize the staff that we have," he said, noting the district will be able to allocate two special-education staff to every grade to increase collaboration with general-education teachers.

The revised schedule also reallocates unified-arts time to provide more continuous instruction. McAllister said unified-arts classes under the old system sometimes amounted to as few as 11 days or as many as 22 days, which limited curriculum and relationship-building. The new plan gives students more sustained time in courses such as world language; starting in middle school students will receive the equivalent of a full year of French or Spanish across seventh and eighth grades, McAllister said, with the intention that students enter high school better prepared for level-2 language coursework.

He described a new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, manufacturing) program aimed partly at closing gaps the district identified in science instruction and in offerings tied to manufacturing and engineering. The program is intended to connect Phelps Elementary STEM work and high-school-level offerings in physics, robotics and engineering.

The presentation also changed how elective music is scheduled: band and chorus will meet daily during the Bulldog block for students who sign up, which McAllister said will let those students fully participate in concerts and other activities without missing academic classes. He noted a large fifth-grade music signup this year: "We have 45 fifth graders this year in our band. We have 32 fifth graders in our course," and said the change should increase continuity into high school music programs.

Committee members repeatedly praised the staff for planning and implementing the changes. One school committee member said the success of the rollout in the second full week of school "is a testament to our commitment to Kids First and being adults," and thanked middle-school leadership and staff for embracing the changes. The committee did not record a formal vote to adopt the schedule during the meeting; the presentation and discussion were informational and supportive.

Practical details noted in the presentation include continuing the six-day rotation, a 30-minute lunch, an approximately 52–55 minute period for fifth- and sixth-graders after recess, and reallocation of staff so special-education teachers can collaborate more consistently across subjects. McAllister also said the district bought board games and indoor options for cold-weather days when recess will be held inside.

Superintendent Dr. Kron, in a separate superintendent's report at the same meeting, said the district continues to prioritize school safety and noted logistical changes to after- and before-school care: the district expects about 300 students in before/after-school programs and has consolidated after-school programming to Phelps Elementary, with transportation provided.

The presentation prompted questions about recess logistics in inclement weather and storage of electric bikes and scooters; McAllister said the district will not expose students to unsafe outdoor conditions and encouraged families to send appropriate clothing. No formal policy change on electric bikes was adopted at the meeting, although the superintendent raised safety concerns about high-speed electric bikes on campus and said the district may consider restricting them during school hours.

Votes at the meeting that were recorded separately included routine approvals of minutes, monthly administrative reports and financial reports, and a group of 14 fundraisers for high-school activities. Those items were approved by voice vote; the record does not include roll-call tallies for those motions.

The committee meeting proceeded to other routine business, and a motion to adjourn passed by voice vote.