D303 Approves 7-Hour Day For Elementary Students

ST. CHARLES, IL -- Elementary school students in District 303 will have a longer school day starting next school year, school officials said. The St. Charles School District 303 school board has approved the seven-hour school day for its elementary school students, which means most students will start their day at 8 a.m. with the final bell expected to ring at 3 p.m., according to information posted on the D303 website.

The longer day is meant to allow elementary schools to maintain access to core instruction and provide more fine arts as well as other enrichment opportunities. Seven hours of instruction for elementary students is a “common practice in high-achieving districts across the country,” school officials also noted.

“The enhanced school day will serve the needs of the whole child by providing more access to fine arts and social-emotional support, as well as exploration and enrichment opportunities,” according to information posted on the D303 website.

“Teachers, in partnership with the learning and teaching department, will collaborate to create age-appropriate experiences at each elementary level. To be able to provide a wide variety of experiences that are important for our students, a longer day is necessary.”

For half-day kindergarten, the morning session will run from 8 to 10:55 a.m. under the 2020 schedule and the afternoon session will run from 12:05 to 3 p.m. High school classes will run from 7:20 a.m. to 2:21 p.m., middle schools will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and early childhood sessions will run from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Moving forward, families within the district will be updated regarding the new, longer school days for elementary students. Information about the school day as well as enrichment opportunities will be provided to families prior to the registration process in the Spring of 2020, school officials said.

This change, school officials said, is expected to improve the efficiency of transportation and school schedules as it will allow for alignment of elementary, middle, and high school days. Bus routes will also be adjusted to match the new schedules at each grade level.