When the 2025-2026 school year rolls around in a couple of months, students and staff will experience a major change in their weekly routines—the introduction of Fresh Foundations, a new advisory program, and an 8:25 AM arrival time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday, while Tuesday and Thursdays remain a 7:45 AM start time. These changes are intended to recognize the need for flexibility and more support throughout the school day.
Among one of the most impactful additions to the 2025-2026 school year bell schedule is Fresh Foundations, a dedicated new advisory program designed to foster stronger relationships, promote healthy wellbeing in and out school, and support student growth outside of the classroom.
Administrators and faculty members have drawn the curriculum towards the Community Matters Advisory program by Facing History and Ourselves and will be provided to every grade level. From a set of foundation lessons, faculty advisors will work with flexibility to choose additional activists based on what students need or think. DePaul College Prep is aiming to prioritize students’ well being, engagements and academic achievements throughout the course of the year with the new schedule change.
With consistent meetings—three times a week—on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Fresh Foundations aims to create a connection between school culture and a place where students and advisors can build a shared connection and trust throughout lessons and one on one conversations.
Librarian Anthony Powers, Coordinator of DePaul Prep’s 2025-2026 Fresh Foundations, shared the key logistics and communications that are involved with the organization and planning and how the program became a reality.
“I think it’s a really great opportunity for students to feel like they belong to a community within a bigger one. And I think the most dominant advantage is that students will be working with these students for the entire length of their high school experiences,” Powers said.
To develop natural relations and bond within a bigger community is implemented from a smaller group where everyone feels apart of one thing inside of something larger. Fresh Foundations is defined to be a place for everyone no matter what sport you play, or who your friends are, this connection allows students to develop connections with one another in their grade levels.
“It is a great team building opportunity and a community building opportunity in a smaller setting. The cohorts will be smaller than what they currently are,” Powers said.
Another major implementation in the Fresh Foundations initiative a pass-fail component. Students are asked to give their full participation and engagement. Presence and engagements are key to passing Fresh Foundations and by not doing so, will lead students to fail.
As of now, during the 2024-2025 school year, FRESH is twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Instead of meeting two times a week, the upcoming school year, Fresh Foundations will be three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, in between second and third periods with an 8:25 am start time, and 2:51pm dismissal time.
“Switching from meeting three times a week instead of two, and having more frequent touch points is beneficial. There may be issues that students need to stay on top of and to check in on and it is better to form stronger connections with one anothe.” Powers said.
To enhance the goals of Fresh Foundations, and to improve the experiences of students and faculty, administration has also introduced a significant change to the weekly bell schedule. Later arrival times on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays starting at 8:25 am and dismissal at 2:51 pm, and Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning at 7:45 am and dismissal at 2:11 pm. This shift in time has reflected in a commitment to students well being and academic balance also significantly aligning with student athletes needs and expectations.
Principal Dr. Megan Stanton Anderson provided the key benefits that the 2025-2026 schedule change incorporates, emphasizing the importance of Fresh Foundations as well as the benefits that later start and earlier dismal will provide students with.
“Tuesdays and Thursdays are high athletic competition days, and a lot of the time kids are leaving classes early to compete. Therefore, Tuesday’s and Thursday’s dismissal time is kept until 2:11 pm.” Stanton Anderson said.
Administrators looked at about 15 to 20 different kinds of schedules to implement for the upcoming school year, and decided on this one to provide students with the most beneficial outcomes in their weekly schedule.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday mornings, the testing center will be open for students who have to make up or retake tests. Therefore Tuesdays and Wednesdays sports won’t begin until 3 p.m.
