Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Middle School Specials topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Springfield Township middle school proposes Success Lab, Life Online and schedule change for 2026–27
Summary
The district's middle-school team proposed a revised specials rotation and three new courses for 2026–27: Success Lab (executive-functioning), Life Online (digital citizenship) and Changemakers (service learning). The plan shortens class periods to 67 minutes and requires all sixth graders to take the full set of sixth-grade specials.
The Academic Affairs Committee heard a presentation on proposed middle-school special-area changes for the 2026–27 school year, including three new courses and a shorter, simplified schedule.
Dr. Mangano and Ms. Brady told the committee the district plans to move from an 80-minute alternating schedule to a day-1/day-2 model with 67-minute class periods and 22 classes per marking period to simplify student schedules. "We're going from 80 to 67 for every class period," Dr. Mangano said, framing the change as a way to reduce schedule confusion for students.
The team proposed three named specials for grades 6–8. Success Lab is described as an executive-functioning and study-skills course aimed at time management, organization and support navigating online platforms; Ms. Brady said it will be offered to all sixth graders to support the transition from elementary school. Life Online will teach online communication and safety using real-world scenarios and projects; Ms. Brady said it is intended to help students "make really safe, informed decisions as they navigate the online universe." Changemakers is a service-learning and career-awareness course meant to increase student choice and civic engagement in seventh and eighth grade.
Under the proposal, sixth graders will receive the full set of specials with little choice so every student can sample offerings; in seventh and eighth grade students will have more elective options and can specialize. The presenters said humanities, civics and project history currently listed as specials will be integrated into daily social studies rather than eliminated, and that beginning-level world language (level 1) will move to the high school for credit.
Board members asked how removing a standalone sixth-grade health class affects content delivery; district leaders said health concepts have been shifted earlier into K–5 and that the district will restore expanded health and PE minutes in middle school by providing two marking periods of PE for sixth grade. On ensembles, the district plans to hold sixth-grade ensemble activities outside the regular school day so every sixth grader can participate in the specials rotation during the school day.
The presenters described a three-year rollout (pilot in 26–27, review in 27–28 and possible further expansion in 28–29) and said they will monitor use of Success Lab and Life Online before adding more courses. The middle-school team will finalize program-of-studies language and return a formal curriculum guide for full approval later in the process.
Next steps: the committee voiced informal approval to proceed with posting materials for public review and to bring the program-of-studies back for formal consideration during the district's curriculum review cycle.
