SEMESTER TO TRIMESTER AND BACK Lessons Learned

WHO? WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? A HISTORY LESSONIn 2005-06, Mr. Joe Burks invited a few counselors to join him on a committee to research schedule possibilities. We contacted schools across the nation and even visited a few to see what was working in other school systems. We researched cost analysis and learning among five different schedules -6 period traditional days -7 period days -4x4 Block scheduling -A/B Block Scheduling -3x5 Scheduling (Trimester)

MOST IMPORTANTLY – WHY? We were searching for a schedule that could be used district-wide to meet the needs of High School students as state graduation requirements changed. The schedule needed to be able to fill the following needs:Allow remediationAllow accelerationBe cost effectiveAllow students to not only fulfill graduation requirements but also be able to complete a vocational/technical program of choice

Allow teachers the opportunity to offer more elective choices

SO BETWEEN THE 2007-08 AND 08-09 YEARS WE JUMPED IN Doss, Fairdale, Fern Creek, Iroquois, Moore, PRP, Seneca, Shawnee, Southern, Valley, Waggener and Western moved to a trimester schedule.

Suddenly we were scheduling and doing lack sheets three times a year, students could have 15 different teachers in a year (possibly), they did not have some of their major courses for the whole year and teachers had to adjust their curriculum to the new time frame.

People complained. A lot.

“The Trimester will be blamed for everything from hair loss to weight gain to the weather” - Joe Burks, April 2008

“This trimester thing is making me FAT!!” - Overheard at a faculty meeting October, 2008

That year the opening of school was delayed by a wind storm. There was a major ice storm in January that made school end in June.

ONE MAJOR PROBLEM Not everyone jumped!

Only half of the JCPS High Schools went to trimester.

We still had the issues of matching schedules with our transient population

THE GOOD PARTS…•Teachers had to work together in PLCs to align curriculum and pacing guides•Schools became more aligned•Less hallway time meant less referrals for passing time•Lunches could all happen in one class period•Students could earn 7 ½ credits in one year•Longer class periods = more time for science labs, deep discussions•Students could take more CTE offerings

WE GOT BETTER More students were able to complete CTE programs successfully while still completing all graduation required coursework

We adjusted our schedules Teachers adjusted their instruction Kids adjusted to sitting for longer periods of time But TEN of the twelve trimester schools were audited within the next three years

None of the semester or block schools were audited.

THEN CAME END OF COURSE EXAMS… AND THOSE CLASSES NEEDED TO MEET ALL YEAR! (?)

And the choices shrank – juniors had less options, since they had three EOC classes

LOOKING FOR A CHANGE After four years of trimester, our staff requested that we revisit the school schedule structure.

During the 5th year, we researched and found that reading scores had dropped during the four years.

Despite implementing the advisory program, they felt they still did not have enough continuous time with students to build the relationships necessary to help them more.

So we voted…

AND MOVED TO A 7 PERIOD DAY

THEN THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED

WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME…

Class periods are shorter!PLANNING periods are shorter!Common Plan and PLCs are almost impossible!Testing had to be split into two parts to accommodate timing

AND THE POLAR VORTEX CAME…

Just as we were getting ready to change semesters and as it sunk in that we would be in school until June, they also realized…

CLASSES GO ALL YEAR LONG???? I HAVE TO HAVE _____ ALL YEAR????

BUT THERE WERE GOOD POINTS AS WELL EOC teachers knew they had their students for an entire year

Students were able to focus better in a short amount of time

PLCs again were invaluable to coordinate lessons and work

Students got more breaks between lessons so they could move more often

Relationships were protected in staying with the same teacher all year

CTE and Fine Arts teachers had their students for the full year

There was no gap between parts A & B of any class

BUT WHAT ABOUT… Retention Rate – very close Test scores – very close College and Career Readiness – improved! (thanks to our team efforts)

Parents and Students appreciated having the same teacher all year

Students could earn 7 credits vs. 7.5 – very close

Teachers felt they were better able to build relationships…in the end

SO AS WE CONTINUE OUR WORK, WE WILL STEADY THE COURSE WITH A 7 PERIOD DAY

AND PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER!