To support student achievement and increased instructional time, all middle schools in the Mehlville School District will switch to a 7-period schedule beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
The new schedule will provide options for students to explore advanced course pathways and maintain opportunities for student choice. The new schedule was approved by the Mehlville Board of Education on January 16, 2025, following parent and staff surveys and review of a variety of schedule options by the Middle School Schedule Steering Committee.
Currently, middle schools follow an 8-period schedule and students each have a “double block,” or 434 minutes per week, of English language arts. All other classes meet for 217 minutes per week. Students have two elective choices, and meet in an advisory class twice a week for a total of 58 minutes.
In the 2025-2026 schedule:
- All classes will meet for 52 minutes per day – or 260 minutes each week – including English language arts.
- Advisory will be removed from the schedule as a specific class.
- Students will continue to have 2 elective choices per semester, including additional options for computer and technology courses.
- Students who are identified as needing additional assistance with English language arts or math will be placed in an intervention class to supplement their regular English language arts or math class.
School start times will not change.
“The feedback we received related to our middle school schedule indicated that parents and teachers want equitable instruction time for all subjects, increased instructional time and increased intervention time,” said Dr. John DeWalle, director of college and career readiness. “This 7-period schedule accomplishes those goals while preserving our opportunities to provide students with choices.”
ELA and/or math intervention classes would occur during the student’s computer course or would take the place of an elective course depending on the student’s needs.