SOMS revised bell schedule was announced in August 2021 and will be implemented beginning for the 2021-22 SY:

• Periods are 45 Minutes per period rather than the previous 50 minutes per period (except for 30 minutes lunch).
• The conference period is 29 minutes (Up from 9 minutes).
• The conference period is part of the school day and it is required time.  If a child is scheduled for a conference time with a teacher, team leader, counselor, or faculty/staff member, they are required to attend.  Students may leave at 2:45 if they do not have anywhere to be during the conference period.  We ask that our families schedule afternoon family appointments and commitments for after 3:14 pm as they always have so that this important time is preserved for our students.  
• For students who receive transportation, the bus will not depart until 3:14 pm.

Years ago a change to the middle school schedules led to the loss of an extended afternoon conference time.  This year during remote and hybrid learning, extended afternoon conference times were reinstated and allowed us to regain the following lost benefits.  The revised bell schedule takes effect starting for the 2021-22 SY.

• A set time of the day (within teachers contractual hours) for extended time on assessments for students with IEP’s, 504’s, and I&RS Action Plans implementation (which eliminates students having to miss classroom instruction);
• A time for pre-teaching and re-teaching for our students who may be struggling in an academic subject;
• More individual and small group instruction opportunities; and
• Additional time for community building, community connection, social-emotional learning and mental health support with counselors, social workers, and interns.
• Time for pull-out music lessons without missing classroom instruction.