Hawthorne district unveils 2025–26 goals, proposes middle-school acceleration and expanded dual enrollment

Superintendent McNally presented the Hawthorne Public School District's goals for the 2025–26 school year at the board's regular meeting, emphasizing expanded pathways to college and careers, increased family engagement and continued attention to rigorous instruction.

McNally said the district will launch an Elective Expo for middle school students, expand dual‑enrollment offerings with partner colleges, return to a more robust elementary gifted program, and create a new Middle School 1A Accelerated pathway intended to move prepared students into honors, advanced placement and dual‑enrollment sequences in high school.

The plans include an Elective Expo in which high school students and staff will present high‑school elective programs to seventh‑ and eighth‑grade students during the school day, followed by a parent night for families. McNally said the goal is to give middle‑school students “valuable insight” into courses and career pathways and to expose families to options earlier…