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Hadley committee proposes daily science and intervention period, offers world-language as elective to increase choice
Summary
Hadley Junior High staff presented three schedule models that would move social studies and science to daily instruction, create a structured intervention/extension period (explicitly “not a study hall”) and make world language optional to allow more elective choice; staff and students urged careful attention to impacts on dual-language pathways and staffing.
Hadley Junior High educators presented the board with three proposed schedules aimed at reallocating instructional minutes to better support daily science and social studies, expand electives and add a dedicated intervention/extension period.
The committee, representing grade-level teachers, electives and department chairs, said surveys of students, parents and staff showed strong consensus for an intervention period, shorter academic periods and more elective time. "There was a desire for a dedicated intervention or study hall period," the committee reported, but presenters stressed the proposed intervention would be structured supports or enrichment rather than an unstructured study hall. "If you end up in an intervention extension, it is not a study hall," a presenter said.
Why it matters: Committee members told the board daily science and social studies would improve continuity and mastery compared with their current AB quarter system. Staff also said making world language an elective for some students would free space for band, orchestra and additional exploratory classes while still preserving pathways for students seeking biliteracy.
Details: The committee compared the current model with two alternative schedules (B and C) that shorten some periods to create more elective time. Schedule B would modestly increase advisory/executive-functioning time to about 12 minutes; schedule C would redistribute those minutes across core periods. Both B and C would allow an "intervention/extension" block available to all students for scaffolded support or problem-based enrichment.
Staff and student response: World-language and world-language department representatives said the change could broaden opportunities rather than diminish language learning: "Opening up more opportunities, giving students more choice, that's something we're looking forward to," Evan, the world language department representative, said. Student board members echoed support for daily science and for preserving advisory: "Advisory is really important because it's a good time to get set and ready for the day," one student said.
Concerns and next steps: Board members asked how making language optional would affect the district's broader dual-language/FLAS commitments and asked that staffing, certification and downstream impacts be addressed before final decisions. District staff said the committee will continue work, gather additional feedback and return with refined proposals and staffing numbers; the committee expects to reconvene within weeks and present a more detailed plan in one to two months.
The board did not take a vote; the committee was asked to bring follow-up details on staffing, sections and timelines before any adoption.
