Niskayuna panel outlines middle school redesign: 70-minute blocks, dedicated teams, transition events

NISKAYUNA, N.Y. — School district staff on April 28 told the Academic Programs Committee of the Niskayuna Central School District that a planned middle school redesign for 2025–26 will move both middle schools to a block/mod schedule, create stable grade-level teams with dedicated special-education support and stage transition events for students and families.

District staff said the scheduling subcommittees that began meeting in late December and early January have largely settled on a block schedule with roughly 70-minute blocks and two 35-minute “mods” built into each block. "Every kid is going to get what they need, and hopefully, some of what they want as well," said Jess (staff member), who led the update.

The change is intended to increase flexibility for electives and ensembles, create longer periods for project-based learning and reduce transitions that staff said consume instructional time. Tim (staff member) told the committee the schedule also creates opportunities for special-education teachers to be assigned to specific teams so that students on a teacher’s caseload have similar academic schedules; that alignment, staff said,…