Oswego junior high school students will have more time to get to class next school year

Oswego School District 308 junior high students starting this fall will have more time to get to class as part of a new bell schedule.

As part of the new schedule, students will have four minutes to get from one class to the next instead of the current three.

School board members unanimously approved the new schedule during its April 28 meeting.

“They don’t have time within our current three minutes to do what they need to do to get from one end of the building to the other,” John Francis, the district’s executive director of schools, told school board members in a recent discussion about the need for a new school bell schedule. “And we really want to support these students and the essential skills of being organized, managing your time and giving them that sense of responsibility along the way.”

A committee had been studying how to improve the bell schedule for junior high students. District 308 has five junior high schools.

The committee included junior high principals, teachers, counselors and students.

“We really focused on organization, planning, preparation and time management,” Francis said. “We know that students thrive on structure. We’re trying to provide a little more structure at the start of the day so that these students can start the day in a more successful mindset.”

All of the district’s junior high schools open at 7:45 a.m. To provide more time for students to get to their classes, the district is reducing the amount of student support time prior to the first period of the day from 22 minutes to 19 minutes.

Instead of from being from 8:10 a.m. to 8:32 a.m., student support time will go from 8:05 a.m. to 8:24 a.m.

With the new schedule, students will have the same amount of time for classroom instruction – 328 minutes for the entire day – and the same 41 minutes for lunch.

Deputy Superintendent Heather Kincaid told board members the work the committee has done is pared with the district’s new strategic plan. In March, the board approved a new three-year strategic plan.

Beginning in August, junior high students will be required to store their backpacks in their lockers during the school day. District leaders said the change will lead to improved flow and accessibility throughout classrooms and hallways as well as an increase in general organization.

Exemptions can be requested through school administration for students with documented medical or accessibility needs, who will be accommodated individually as necessary. Students will be permitted to carry a small bag, such as a fanny pack, with them for storing personal items.