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Lockport Twp HSD 205 board approves eight-period school day beginning 2627 school year
Summary
After months of study, the Lockport Township High School District 205 board approved a shift to a traditional eight-period day at East and Central campuses beginning in the 2627 school year; the change aims to expand AP, dual-credit and work-based learning access but comes with an estimated $1.9 million cost and staffing implications.
The Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education voted to adopt a traditional eight-period school day at both East and Central campuses beginning in the 2627 school year, a change district leaders said will expand opportunities for advanced placement, dual-credit and work-based learning.
Superintendent Bob McBride framed the change as an effort to "open up opportunities for students," saying the plan is a conventional period schedule intended "for stability" and to allow students to take additional elective and career-focused classes. He told the board the district’s cost estimate assumes students will take a sixth class and that staffing needs could rise; the district presented a conservative estimate of about 21 additional teachers to staff expanded sections.
Board members pressed administration on budget and implementation details. One board member raised concern about the district’s $1.9 million cost estimate for rolling out the schedule and asked where those dollars would come from; the superintendent said the cost can be planned for in the coming budget cycle and that some schedule changes in other districts have produced savings through reduced staffing in certain scenarios. The board discussed classroom space, substitute staffing, impacts on credit recovery and whether the district should require extra graduation credits (administration recommended not raising requirements immediately and suggested a phased approach).
The board moved the proposal to a roll-call vote and approved it. District documents shared during the meeting state the change is intended to increase access to AP and dual-credit coursework, provide more slots for electives and internships, and reduce competition between courses that currently limits student choice.
Next steps described by administration included convening the bell-schedule committee to flesh out bell times, equitable use of discretionary plan periods between campuses, staffing plans to be presented in March, and further public and staff listening sessions. Implementation details — including whether certain students (for example seniors who have met graduation requirements) would be assigned alternate options — will be decided by the committee and returned to the board for final staffing approvals.
The board’s action officially adds the eight-period model to the district plan; the change will proceed through the staffing and scheduling work described by administration before school-year scheduling is finalized.
