Why is the district making changes to elementary schedules?
Updates to the elementary schedule for next school year were made to better support student learning, wellbeing, and consistency across classrooms. Over the past year, teachers and school leaders shared that students need more time for reading, writing, and math, along with consistent science and foundational skills for learning. The new schedule helps meet those needs while also improving teacher collaboration and learning time, which directly benefits students.
Does this mean art, music, or PE are being cut?
Art, music, P.E., and library remain a weekly part of every student’s schedule. Instead of specials ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and having Music and P.E. twice each week, students will attend six different 45 minute specialist classes each week, including:
Music
Art
Physical Education
Library
Science
Foundations for Learning
While this is 15 minutes less in Art, Music, and P.E. each week, students will get 15 additional minutes in library, plus dedicated science and Foundations instruction with specialists.
In addition:
Recess for grades K–4 will be reduced by 5 minutes per day
Recess for grade 5 will receive 5 additional minutes of recess per day
The goal of these updates is to allow students to continue receiving a well-rounded elementary experience, while providing additional time for core instruction and creating a more consistent schedule for students.
What about WIN? Are students still getting time for intervention?
Yes. We will continue to have intervention support built into the daily schedule. Each elementary school will have a full-time certificated interventionist, trained para educators, and dedicated grade-level Professional Learning Teams (PLTs). Students who need additional time and support will receive it through our Response to Intervention (RTI) model. In addition, our new schedule includes extra paraeducator support for our littlest learners in Kindergarten and 1st Grade.
What will my child’s week actually look like?
Your child will:
Attend all specialist classes each week
Spend more time on reading, writing, and math (nearly one extra hour per week)
Have fewer transitions between classes, which means less lost learning time
Experience science and foundations for learning taught by specialists, providing consistency and depth
Why is there more time for reading, writing, and math?
Student learning data shows that students benefit from additional, focused time in these core subjects—especially math. The updated schedule adds nearly 55 minutes per week of core instruction, which adds up to almost 200 additional hours over a student’s elementary career.
What does the “Foundations for Learning” class look like in practice?
This course is designed to focus on skills students use every day, including:
Managing emotions and frustration
Working with others
Resolving conflicts
Setting goals and persevering through challenges
Building leadership and responsibility
Students receive:
A daily morning meeting in their classroom
A weekly lesson with a specialist
Skills are reinforced throughout the school day by all staff
Are PE minutes being reduced?
Weekly PE time is slightly adjusted, but students still meet state requirements. Many PE standards—such as teamwork, goal-setting, and self-management—are also taught during the Foundations for Learning lessons. This means students often practice the same skills in multiple settings, reinforcing learning rather than losing it.
Where else is learning being integrated?
Some learning happens in more than one place:
Art is embedded into literacy through the Wit & Wisdom curriculum
Library time increases, supporting reading and digital literacy standards
Science moves into dedicated lab spaces, providing hands-on, consistent instruction
Science content knowledge is built through specific units in language arts
Foundational skills are practiced across classrooms, PE, and specialist settings
This means students often get a “double dip” in key skills.
How does this support teachers—and why does that matter?
Teachers now have more consistent planning and collaboration time. This allows them to:
Align lessons across grade levels
Better support students who need extra help
Improve instruction for all learners
When teachers are supported, students benefit.
Will the district review these changes?
Yes. The district continuously collects data and feedback, evaluates the impact of changes, and reflects on decisions. If adjustments are needed, they will be made. This is a thoughtful step forward—not a final, unchangeable decision.