Freeport Middle School schedule proposal would shift eighth-grade language to Spanish; teachers and parents raise equity and continuity concerns
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Summary
Administrators proposed a new 6–8 schedule that makes Spanish a core eighth-grade class and reduces seventh-grade language options; teachers and parents warned about staffing, continuity, larger unified-arts classes and loss of French for some students.
Freeport Middle School administrators presented a multi-part schedule redesign to the RSU 5 board on Feb. 4 intended to protect instructional time while absorbing planned budget reductions. The plan calls for sixth- and seventh-grade daily 50-minute core periods and an eighth-grade rotation with extended 60-minute blocks that meet classes two out of three days, while reallocating minutes to prioritize social studies and high-school language readiness.
Pam, one of the presenting administrators, said the redesign maintains class sizes "below the threshold set forth by policy" and allows the district to "offer a strong product despite the proposed budget cuts." She described sixth- and seventh-grade structures with 50-minute periods and smaller math class sizes (e.g., 17–20 in some classes) and an eighth-grade rotation that would include 60-minute blocks for math, ELA and social studies.
A significant curricular change in the plan is the shift in world-language sequencing: seventh-graders would not have a language class under the proposal, while eighth-graders would receive Spanish as a core class, aligned to high-school language pathways. That change prompted immediate concern. Jen Gokul, the high-school language instructor, described upper-level language enrollment patterns and said French enrollment in higher-level classes has been very low (French 5 currently has four students), while Spanish upper-level numbers are healthier.
Several board members and teachers pressed the administration for clarifying details: where a full-time Spanish teacher would come from (the middle school currently has a 0.6 Spanish position), how band and chorus would remain available as pull-out options, how unified-arts class sizes would be managed if the district reduced UA staffing to match the schedule, and whether the eighth-grade rotation would meaningfully provide continuity into high-school Spanish.
Freeport Middle School French teacher Sarah Davis spoke during public comment and urged the board to reconsider the approach. "I have a hard time with having just Spanish in eighth grade," she said, noting that eighth grade is often a difficult time for students to begin a new language and that a one-year model could worsen continuity and equity for students who prefer French. Parents and community members echoed concerns about the Quebec City trip historically tied to French instruction and the district's commitment to diverse language offerings.
Administrators said they had sought teacher input and would continue to refine staffing and mitigation plans. They also noted the schedule is linked to the budget tiers under discussion and that details about positions retained versus reduced will be provided next week.