After another lengthy round of discussion, the Naperville School District 203 Board of Education opted to hold off on any formal votes concerning the future school day structure at a meeting Monday, April 21.
Since the beginning of the calendar year, the board and administrators have been discussing a series of changes that could result in new start and end times across all grade levels and provide changes within the course of the school day to meet students’ diverse needs.
The initiative, dubbed the Innovative School Experience, has drawn widespread concern from parents, teachers, faculty and students about its impact in recent months.
The proposal had an initial timeline of being rolled out in September, but the board and administrators have indicated the start of the 2026-27 school year would be the earliest any structural changes would occur.
A revised recommendation from administrators
At the beginning of the most recent discussion on next steps, which spanned more than two hours, Superintendent Dan Bridges initially sought approval on a list of three recommendations:
- Approve the Innovative School Experience learning structures recommended by the four-level design teams, with additional opportunities for feedback, clarification and work groups, in order to plan for implementation
- Approve the development of a School Start and End Time Committee to review proposal, consider additional options and present the board of education with final recommendations in June
- Approve this transition to be implemented at the start of the 2026-27 school year
In presenting his revised list of recommendations, Bridges acknowledged the community feedback that has funneled in since January and indicated the latest sets of recommendations take that reality into account, while trying to keep the different pieces of the puzzle in play.
“It really spoke to the importance and the value of ensuring that we are providing ample opportunities for stakeholder input and feedback, especially on some of our most significant recommendations,” Bridges said in summarizing the comments that have been shared in recent months, and the continued efforts in the months ahead.
Concerns continued being raised
Throughout the most recent round of deliberations, the board wrangled over wording within some of the recommendations — most notably, the first item, which some elected officials argued did not provide clarity on how community feedback would be sought.
While there conceptually was support for the second and third recommendations, several board members cited reservations of voting in favor of any items without exhaustive community feedback efforts.
“We can’t make a change of this magnitude without the support of the community, as well as the teachers,” said board member Charles Cush in expressing his position that more overtures are necessary to gather community feedback.
Board member Melissa Kelley Black said she had “deep concern” in voting on any component of the recommendation, noting the comments that have arisen in recent months.
“The community has repeatedly requested more information, more clarity and more engagement,” Kelley Black said. “Those requests have not been adequately addressed.”
Other board members comfortable moving forward
While a unanimous vote was cast in tabling the recommendations at the April 21 meeting, several board members said they were comfortable moving forward, noting the amount of feedback that already has come in through written and verbal comments at board meetings, as well as other channels.
“We don’t want to just keep discussing this forever,” board member Joe Kozminski said. “We do need some kind of movement.”
Board President Kristine Gericke also initially expressed support for voting on the recommendations to keep the process moving forward as the next step in the process continues.
“The kids are at the center of this,” Gericke said in emphasizing the rationale behind the changes. “I feel like the engagement has been there. No one has been cut off. We’re getting feedback from a lot of different places.”
Vote tabled after lack of consensus and request for more review
Bridges, who had been requesting the board to take a vote throughout much of the meeting, ultimately recommended tabling it.
“I just feel we’ve been in too many different places through conversation tonight,” Bridges said. “I don’t think there would be clarity on actually what’s happening and what’s expected.”
Board member Donna Wandke, who had presented the board with several proposed amendments to the first of the three recommendations throughout much of the discussion, ultimately agreed with Bridges’ suggestion.
“I feel like if we push this to a vote, we’re going to be very divided, and I think it creates the wrong image on where the board is, in response to the Innovative School Experience,” Wandke said.
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