LOS ALAMITOS, Calif.– As you reflect back on middle school, you probably remember that you had one reading and one language arts class. These classes were taught by the same teacher through back-to-back periods in a massive period was called core. This tradition is quickly changing, as core used to be three classes; currently, it is two, and next year, will become a single class.
For the 2025-2026 school year, middle schoolers at both Oak and McAuliffe can expect to transition to six-period days. This will be made possible by transitioning core classes away from a double period and into one. This means that students will spend nearly half the time learning English and increasing time dedicated to other subjects.
¨Honestly, core becoming one class versus two classes is better because it isn’t as long. While teachers may find it stressful to have less time to teach, I don’t think they need one and a half hours every day.¨ Sarah Tout, an eighth grader at McAuliffe Middle School, said ¨Sometimes, we spend twenty minutes talking during core so when it’s one period, we will have less time to chat but more than enough time to learn what we need to learn.¨
Since the beginning of the school year, both McAuliffe and Oak Middle School core teachers have been meeting to plan and accommodate for next year’s changes.
“We’ve been working to create a single-period English class that will meet all ELA grade-level standards,” Mrs. LeTourneau, a seventh and eighth-grade Core teacher at McAuliffe Middle School, said.
Following the removal of one class period, middle schoolers can expect to have about 53 minutes in each class for the 2025-2026 school year. This change will add six minutes to the McAuliffe Middle School´s current 47-minute periods and to Oak’s 49-minute periods.
¨Both Oak and McAuliffe currently have teams that are piloting a new curriculum, and we will adopt one of them before the year ends. Don’t fret; many of our beloved novels at the middle school level will still be read!¨ Mrs. LeTourneau said.
¨Overall, I think it is way better to have one period because when we have two periods, it is just inefficient and takes a long time.¨ said Tout.
BD
