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For years the high schools of the Nashua School District have operated on a four-block schedule with a recess period known as E-block. However, a controversial email sent out to staff on February 20th has sent the student body spiraling after they announced the removal of E-block and a shift to a five-block schedule. The School Board has gone ahead with the schedule change in light of staffing allocations, maintaining infrastructure, and worries about having the proper amount of classes to meet graduation requirements. Following the announcement of this decision, conflicting responses from students arose, some coming in favor of the shift, while others came from a view of strong opposition towards the move.
Every year the superintendent of each school district in New Hampshire has to present a budget for the following school year to the school board. What follows is a multi-month process in which the district will finalize its budget. It was during the first budget meeting of the 2026-2027 school year that the Nashua school district superintendent proposed moving the high schools to a 5-block schedule. Making this adjustment to the original 4-block schedule would allow for the district to lay off enough staff members to meet the staffing allocations while also maintaining important and necessary infrastructure such as transportation and increased education assistance. It also provides students more opportunities to take classes required to graduate. However, there will be less of a diverse catalog of classes for students to participate in, as there will be less staff with the requirements to teach the special courses.
So far the schedule changes consist of switching Nashua High schools to a five block schedule , one of which will be a 72 minute study hall that can take place during any of the respective students' five blocks. The change will not affect any of a student's previous course selections for the year, and the student has the option to fill their study hall with another course of their choice if they so wish. This switch will especially help out students in the music department, who previously had to take classes on an A/B day schedule that rotated every other day. Now students that operate with the A/B day schedule will have classes like Chorale and Concert Band everyday and all year. Not only that but they will be given the option to take 10 credits worth of classes compared to the previous 8 without worrying about the rotating schedule.
One of the biggest changes that students will have to adapt to will be the removal of E-block. All make-up work and extracurricular activities that occurred during the period are going to have to be moved to after-school hours, which will especially put a strain on teachers and students with other competing responsibilities after school. There have also been rumors that some clubs and recovery periods could run before school; however, that has not been confirmed.
It was the removal of E-block that has sparked the most uproar from high schoolers. Kathleen Schreiner, a three season athlete at Nashua North, is apprehensive about the switch due to extracurriculars and sports possibly having crossing timelines. "I'm worried about it because of how clubs are going to work with study halls being different for everyone. Like if all the clubs end up getting moved to after school, I’m going to have to leave many because I just don’t have the time with sports and all”.
Also adding, "I really like E-block being in the middle of the day as a reset to get ready for the rest of the day, even to prepare for games ahead of time. If E-block is different, it's going to throw me off”.
Dakota Richards, a member of Concert Band, feels similarly about the removal of E-block; however, as a student in the music department, she feels the benefits from other aspects of this switch. “The five-block schedule is the best thing for the music kids. Instead of a study hall, the music department gets the choice of having 10 credits instead of having just 8 credits. The students in the music department gain the extra amount of classes that they want to take without having to quit the classes that they are affiliated with just for academic reasons.”
“It makes it easier for some kids to be able to meet the graduation requirements, as some people do struggle with that. I also feel that is not a normal
part of the current routine and could disrupt and throw off a lot of people. Another issue, in my opinion, is E-block. Although a study period would be good for everyone, I feel a part of kids liking school is E-block and being able to hang out with friends.” Added Leo Nichols, a Nashua North junior.
The transition to a 5-block schedule may have just been announced, but its removal of E-block and its projected adjustments to the music department have already caused quite a bit of conversation among students. Much uncertainty still remains about how the 2026-2027 school year will look; however, as more information is released, students' apprehensions will hopefully be eased. Our reporters and I will follow along carefully to keep the student body updated as more details become available.
