Elmwood Park student urges board to reconsider new block schedule, citing crowded lunches and extra stress

Nicola Talaques, an 11th-grade student at Elmwood Park Memorial High School, told the Elmwood Park Board of Education at its June meeting that the district's recently adopted block schedule has created "unnecessary stress for both students and staff." Talaques said lunches are overcrowded because too many students are assigned to eat at the same time, making it hard to sit comfortably, complete homework during lunch or have quiet conversations.

"There is simply not enough space in the cafeteria for the number of students who are assigned to eat at the same time," Talaques said. "Students are crowded together, making it difficult to sit comfortably and enjoy a meal. Many students, including myself, use lunch as an opportunity to complete homework, make up unfinished classwork, or prepare for upcoming assignments. The current environment makes that nearly impossible."

Talaques also said longer class periods under the block schedule have increased workload and stress because teachers sometimes cover more material and assign larger or more demanding assignments in a single period. "If a student falls behind or misses even one class, it can be difficult to catch up because so much instruction happens in a single day," she said, urging the board to "reconsider the current block schedule and listen to the concerns being raised by students and staff who are directly affected by it."

The board thanked Talaques for speaking; the transcript records no board response that night indicating a specific follow-up or a plan to alter the schedule. The item was raised as a public comment; board members later made general congratulatory remarks and closed the meeting. The transcript does not show a motion, vote or staff report in response to the criticisms raised at this meeting.

The student's remarks come as the district implements program changes and pre-K expansion next school year, matters referenced elsewhere in the meeting. The board has not recorded any decision on the schedule in the June meeting record; the transcript notes the public-comment rules require speakers to state their name and address and prohibits verbal accusations against employees during comment.

What happens next: No formal follow-up or vote was recorded in the meeting transcript; the board did not place schedule reconsideration on the June agenda. Concerned students and staff may request the board place the item on a future agenda under the board's public comment/agenda rules.