SLP Families,

It has been my priority to learn and implement strategies to help each of our students succeed. I have heard a need from our community to focus on academic rigor, and I am committed to doing that. Earlier, I shared information about our new leadership structure, and today, I am excited to share with you important information regarding schedule changes across all K-12 schools in our district for the upcoming school year. These intentional adjustments are designed to increase instructional time, enhance student learning experiences, and create consistency across grade levels.

Why Are We Making This Change?

The secondary schedule changes are being implemented to provide a high quality education for each of our students while staying within our budget parameters. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for students to identify key areas of interest, while building a sense of community and belonging for each student. Our goal is to provide more focused instructional time for core subjects like language arts, math, science, and social studies. By increasing time for these subjects, we are strengthening Tier 1 MTSS instruction, allowing for more effective teaching and deeper student engagement. These changes will also support collaboration among educators, enhance student safety, and reduce transitions throughout the school day.

Elementary Schedule Changes

At the elementary level, the new schedule will provide increased instructional time for core subjects while maintaining enrichment opportunities in specialist classes.

Key Updates:

• 110 minute increase in reading, writing, and math to support strong foundational learning
• 250 minutes of specialist instruction (Talent Development, Music, and Physical Education) to allow for an increase of 110 minutes in Tier 1 core instruction
• Increased collaboration time for educators to plan and co-teach more effectively

Secondary Schedule Changes

For middle and high school students, we are preparing for a transition to block scheduling in the 2026-27 school year. To ease this transition, we will first adopt a 5.5/7 schedule for one year, starting next school year.

Key Updates:

• Next year (2025-26):
  • Students will continue taking seven courses over the year
  • Teachers will teach 5.5 periods out of 7 to allow for increased planning and professional development
• Starting in 2026-27:
  • We will transition to a block schedule with 75-90 minute periods
  • This will increase instructional depth, reduce transitions, and align with college/workforce expectations

Supporting Students & Staff Through This Transition

We recognize that these are significant shifts, and we are committed to supporting students, families, and staff every step of the way. We appreciate your support as we work to create a stronger, more student-centered learning environment.

Sincerely,

Dr. Carlondrea Hines
Superintendent

Elementary Sample Schedule

Middle School Sample Schedule 

High School Sample Schedule