Oak Park D97 details middle-school redesign: structured social time, WIN alignment and executive-function interventions

Assistant Superintendent Luisa Leon and building principals at Oak Park Elementary School District 97 presented a middle-school redesign update on Oct. 14 that focuses on student social time, advisory/WIN alignment, and intervention structures intended to improve student engagement and learning supports.

Administrators said a major practical change at Julian was moving social time from the front of the building to the field to improve supervision and create a space better suited for games and large-group interaction. The district also described efforts to align WIN (What I Need) instructional time and advisory across both middle-school campuses to provide consistent supports and interventions.

The district is piloting Smarts Connect, an executive-function curriculum that teaches goal setting, time management and planning. Administrators said students take a MediCOG survey to identify strengths and needs; teachers then use that information to organize WIN lessons. The district reported tier 2 supports for reading and math during WIN and ongoing benchmark meetings every six weeks to make data-driven placement decisions.

Administrators also described changes to algebra access, shifting some access from summer to trimesters 2 and 3 during the school year to broaden opportunities, and previewed an opt-in modern African American studies course that will be available in later trimesters.

Board members asked questions about pacing, staffing and rollout; administrators said they will implement changes thoughtfully and collect midyear family feedback. Staff noted an enrollment increase and high participation in middle-school connection events (up to 92% participation in the most recent offering) and increased student ambassador engagement.

Administrators said they will continue to monitor outcomes, refine communication to families, and return with implementation details as needed.