Worthington High School principal outlines two-year plan to review schedule after student appeals

Lucy O'Donnell, a senior at Worthington High School, told the Worthington Public School District 518 board she is speaking on behalf of peers who would be affected by a proposed change to the high school daily schedule.

"The music programs have changed my life," O'Donnell said, adding the district web page states, "the confidence gained in performance ensembles complements student leadership and academic achievement at WHS." She warned that a shortened period day could reduce rehearsal time, reduce students' in-class homework time and limit availability for students who work or are primary caregivers.

High school Principal Tony Hastings presented a timeline and process for revisiting the schedule and recommended holding to the current schedule for the 2025–26 school year while forming a committee to study changes. Hastings said he would "create a committee consisting of students, parents, staff, and administration" in January–February, gather teacher data and run a spring survey of stakeholders, then draft schedules over the summer and present proposals to the Instructional Committee the following January, with potential implementation in fall 2026.

Hastings described the committee makeup and goals: 7–10 members, including student representation (preferably juniors or sophomores), and outreach to parents via social media. He said the committee would analyze whether to move to a period day, block schedule, or hybrid and examine curricular impacts such as needed curriculum-writing time and staffing changes if periods become shorter or longer.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the existing "skinnies" in second block (shorter class segments that have been used for freshman classes and electives), how the committee would be formed and who would set priorities if stakeholder goals conflicted. Hastings said the committee would be a strong voice but that final decisions rest with district leadership. He noted classes that benefit from long blocks (welding, art, science labs) and observed the advisory period currently gives students a built-in time for make-up work and teacher support that could be lost under a period day.

The presentation and public comment closed without a motion to change the schedule. Hastings' proposal leaves the current schedule largely intact for 2025–26 while the committee gathers data and stakeholder feedback for any later change.

Next steps: formation of the schedule-review committee in winter 2025, stakeholder survey in spring 2025, draft development in summer 2025, Instructional Committee presentation in January (year not specified in transcript), and possible implementation in fall 2026.