District 205 Approves Middle School Schedule Changes

ELMHURST, IL — The District 205 Board of Education recently voted unanimously to ratify program changes for year two of the middle school reorganization. The district said it has done two years of study and planning on this proposal.

According to the district, year two programming includes the following modifications:

• Incorporate Band, Orchestra and Choir into the school day (phase-in).
• Add Project Lead the Way (PLtW) to the middle school curriculum.
• Make World Language a choice and ensure that students who take three years in middle school obtain Level III standing as a freshman and that students who take two years in middle school obtain Level II standing as a freshman.
• Authorize the creation of semester elective course in the Unified Arts for eighth grade students.

Patch reported in November when several parents spoke out against the changes at a school board meeting. At that time, parents said the proposal would cut valued instructional minutes.

The district said in a release the phase-in of Band/Orchestra/Choir is being implemented in response to feedback from parents at the Learning and Teaching Committee held on Dec. 13 and at the PTA Council’s Forum on Jan. 16, in order to ease the transition for middle school students.

It was decided the changes would be a two-year roll out after working with department chairs, the district said in a release.

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