Students in Hanover middle and high schools will see a new daily routine in 2026, as the district adopts a rotating schedule to change when classes meet each day. District leaders say the change is designed to improve balance and equity across the school day.
The shift follows months of research and input from students, staff and families, as well as a review of schedules used in other districts. School officials said the rotating model will ensure classes meet at different times throughout the week instead of remaining fixed.
“As a result of the work, both schools will be implementing a rotating schedule beginning September 2026,” Hanover High School Principal Matthew Plummer said. “A rotating bell schedule … will create a greater balance across the school day, ensuring that all classes meet at all times.”
Under the current schedule, some students consistently experience certain classes at the same time each day. The rotating system is intended to distribute those experiences more evenly.
“So no student or teacher for that matter will consistently experience their most challenging class or their easiest class, first thing in the morning or last thing in the day,” Plummer said.
District leaders said the structure is expected to support engagement, attendance and performance by varying when each subject occurs during the day.
“And over time, this structure will be far more equitable for engagement, attention, performance, attendance in every subject,” Plummer added.
Officials said students will be supported through the transition with clear communication, routines and guidance to help them navigate the new schedule.
At the same time, the district is continuing its work on artificial intelligence, focusing this year on training and discussion among staff. All teachers participated in professional development sessions led by a state consultant, where they explored how AI could be used in education and raised questions about its impact.
“These sessions focused on how AI can help increase efficiency to support the creation of customized learning experiences for students,” Deborah St. Ives, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction said.
District leaders emphasized that the work is still in its early stages and that policies and classroom use have not yet been finalized.
“I want to emphasize that while this goal is marked completed, this work is certainly not finished and really just beginning,” St. Ives said.
School Committee member Christopher Tracy emphasized the duality of using artificial intelligence, saying, “I think this is probably one of the greatest opportunities of our time, and at the same time, maybe the biggest challenge of our time,” Tracy said.
The district plans to continue training, attend conferences and develop guidelines for ethical and effective use of AI in the coming months.
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