SHIFTS IN THE ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTIONAL DAY
What is the change to the start and end times of the elementary day?
The new schedule will be 7:50 AM - 2:25 PM, which is 10 minutes earlier in the morning and 5 minutes later in the afternoon as compared to the current elementary schedule.
When will this shift take effect?
At the start of the 2025-26 school year.
Why is the change being made?
A team of SD129 educators representing every role and building carefully reviewed our current elementary schedule and recommended this adjustment to support our new literacy curriculum and maximize learning time for students.
How does our current elementary school day compare to other districts?
Right now, we have one of the shortest elementary school days in Kane County. This change brings us in line with the average.
What benefits will this change provide for students?
Each week, students gain:
- 75 additional minutes for literacy instruction
- 50 additional minutes for student support and intervention
- More science content as part of the STEM Special
- Dedicated time for social science instruction
- LIS (Library, Technology & Research) added as a special
How does the current instructional day compare to next year’s model?
- Additional Minutes Added for Literacy
- Enrichment Built into Small Group Literacy
- Intervention All 5 Days of the Week
- Intervention Allows for Both Math & Reading Support
- Content Specific Time Added for Natural & Social Sciences
- Specific Time for Social Emotional Learning
Will there still be three days a week of physical education?
Yes, students will continue to have PE/Health three days per week.
What will specials look like next year?
"Specials" are classes such as physical education (PE), art, and music that students take regularly, in addition to their core subjects like math and literacy.
Art, music, STEM, Library & Information Science (LIS), and Social Science will now be part of a daily 50-minute specials rotation, while PE/Health and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) will be part of a daily 25-minute specials block.
Why didn’t you add the time at the end of the day?
Our school schedules are carefully structured to support students at all levels—elementary, middle, and high school—while also ensuring consistency for after-school programming, athletics, and transportation. Adding extra minutes exclusively to the end of the elementary day would have created a ripple effect, requiring adjustments across all grade levels. This would not only impact the bus schedule but also disrupt after-school activities, athletic programs, and before- and after-school care. Maintaining a balanced schedule allows us to provide students and families with reliable transportation and programming without unintended consequences.
Will this impact other levels?
No, middle and high school schedules will remain the same.