TRIMESTER SCHEDULING
Trimester Study Team Goals Develop a schedule that would enable students to meet the new Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements Promote rigorous course selections Build in academic support for the students who need it Provide students the opportunity to enroll in elective courses
Trimester Study Team Tasks Conduct visitations Research information through the internet Attend workshops Hold conversations with districts who have used the trimester schedule Evaluate our findings Consider the needs of all stakeholders
High School Schedules Considered Traditional Day – (two 90 day semesters, ½ year courses, 6 periods, 5 period teaching assignment) 7-8 Period Day – (same as above, 5 or 6 period teaching assignment) 4 X 4 Block Schedule – (4 90 minute classes, change at semester, meet on alternating days, several hybrids of this schedule in use) ABC Rotating Day – (4-8 periods rotate at different times each day of week, periods vary in length of time) 3 X5 Trimester - (5 classes per day, 3 semesters, longer class periods, 4 period teaching assignment)
Trimester Schedule Basic Facts School year is divided into 3 trimesters (terms) with each term being approximately 60 days in length Students take 5 classes per term that meet daily Classes that meet for one term are equivalent to a one semester class Classes that meet for two terms are equivalent to a year long class Some classes might meet for 3 terms Students have the potential to earn 7.5 credits per year
Trimester Schedule Advantages More choice for students (7.5 credit options) Possibility of 1.5 credit classes (AP, Music) Reduced daily student/teacher load More credit recovery possibilities More credit acceleration possibilities Less stress/more time to build relationships Students and teachers deal with fewer classes per term Instructional time is similar to our current schedule Aligned with athletic schedules No final exams following a major break
Trimester Schedule Test Analysis
Districts Using/Studying Trimester Scheduling SpringlakeClarenceville West OttawaFarmington East KentwoodGross Pointe AllendaleBirmingham PlainwellBrandon MadisonClintondale MuskegonSouth Redford AlleganCenter Line Freemont Lakeview
Trimester Schedule Considerations Staffing issues (i.e. costs, highly qualified) Effect on 8/9 core curriculum Teachers’ contract School calendar/daily time schedule Scheduling software Prorating of graduation credits Curriculum compacting and instructional pacing Daily time schedule conflict with OTC/OSM Tech Staff “buy-in” to concept Classes that will meet for 3 terms Transition issues Standardized testing timeline/window
Trimester Schedule Staffing (CHS) Staffing formula 1878 students x 15 courses over 3 semesters = 28,170 seats over full year ÷ 29.0 student/teacher ratio = 971 sections for full year ÷ 12 (4 classes taught each semester) = 80.9 FTE (78.0 current FTE) = +2.9 FTE needed 29.5 student/teacher ratio = +1.5 FTE needed 30.0 student/teacher ratio = +.2 FTE needed
Trimester Schedule Comparison ModelNumber of classes per day Number of minutes per class Number of minutes per semester Number of classes per year % of teacher time in front of students Traditional ( currently using ) Student: 6 Teacher: 5/6 Daily: 58 Weekly: 275 4, % TrimesterStudent: 5 Teacher: 4/5 Daily: 75 Weekly: 375 4, %
Trimester Sample Schedule ( minute classes) Fall (60 days) Winter (60 days) Spring (60 days) 1 st HourClass 1 (.5) Class 6Class 11 2 nd HourClass 2Class 7Class 12 3 rd HourClass 3Class 8Class 13 4 th HourClass 4Class 9Class 14 5 th HourClass 5Class 10Class 15 (Total = 7.5)
Trimester Sample Schedule (Typical General Ed Student) 10 th GradeFallWinterSpring 1 st Hour Language Arts Global Issues Strength Training 2 nd Hour Art IntroBiology 3 rd Hour Geometry Language Arts 4 th Hour Spanish IIUS HistorySpanish II 5 th Hour Computer Science DesignComputer Science
Trimester Sample Schedule (College Bound) 11 th GradeFallWinterSpring 1 st Hour Chemistry French IV 2 nd Hour AP Composition AP Prep 3 rd Hour Algebra IIPsych IAlgebra II 4 th Hour Arch Graphics French IVArch Graphics 5 th Hour World HistEconomicsForensics
Trimester Sample Schedule (Advanced Placement/Music) 12 th GradeFallWinterSpring 1 st Hour Jazz Band 2 nd Hour AP Physics AP Prep 3 rd Hour German IVGovernmentPsych I 4 th Hour StatisticsGerman IVStatistics 5 th Hour AP Literature AP Prep
Trimester Sample Schedule (Recovery/Support) 10 th GradeFallWinterSpring 1 st Hour Language Arts (A) Language Arts (B) US History 2 nd Hour Academic Support Basic Engineering CAD I 3 rd Hour Integrated Science (A) Integrated Science (B) Language Arts (B) 4 th Hour Global Issues Academic Support PE 5 th Hour Algebra I(A) Algebra I(B)
Trimester Sample Time Schedule (75 minute classes) 1 st Hour7:50am - 9:05am 2 nd Hour9:11am – 10:26am 3 rd Hour10:32am – 12:18pm (includes 3 lunch periods) 4 th Hour12:24pm – 1:39pm 5 th Hour1:45pm – 3:00pm
Trimester Sample Time Schedule (72 minute classes) 1 st Hour 7:50am – 9:02am 2 nd Hour 9:08am – 10:20am 3 rd Hour 10:26am – 12:09pm (includes 3 lunch periods) 4 th Hour 12:15pm – 1:27pm 5 th Hour 1:33pm – 2:45pm
Trimester Sample Calendar (07/08) Fall Trimester 9/04/07 – 11/28/07 Winter Trimester 11/29/07 – 3/05/08 Spring Trimester 3/06/08 – 6/06/08 Note: each trimester is 60 days in length