On Jan. 29, 2026, students filed into the tower, ready to face the second semester. Having already adjusted to the new system in the first semester, they were well-prepared for what was to come. After one full semester, students have the opportunity to form an opinion about the new system, where the school year is split into two semesters. This is a change from previous years, where students had classes in trimesters that lasted 12 weeks.
Some students feel that the new system is restrictive, especially for those taking Career & Technical Education (CTE) or Education for the Arts (EFA) classes. Senior Cameron Ford, who is taking the electric technology CTE, is one of them.
“There’s way less wiggle room in my schedule than there would have been if there were trimesters,” said Ford.
However, some students believe that the new system allows them to take more classes they want, including junior Sophia Kays.
“It does make it easier because you have seven spaces for classes, so you can get into more classes,” said Kays.
Another criticism of the system is that, because classes now last 18 weeks, there’s less change.
“I liked how you had more variety of classes with trimesters,” said Ford.
Like many other students, Ford disliked the drag of attending the same classes for five months at a time.
Some students believe that shorter class periods are damaging to classes that run year-round, such as Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Kays believes that the shorter classes hurt her AP Biology and AP U.S. Government and Politics classes.
“AP classes have a lot more work that you have to do, and a lot of my AP classes are actually super behind because we have less time to do things during units,” said Kays.
In contrast, sophomore Henry Bickel feels that the shorter class periods give students more freedom.
“I do like the shorter classes because they would get really boring back in trimesters when we would just be sitting for about an hour and a half,” said Bickel. “With the shorter classes, we’re able to walk around, and I feel like there’s more freedom as well.”
Students have many differing opinions on the new system. While the change to the semester system created confusion for many during the first semester, they now have a better idea of what to expect for the future. Students can hopefully look forward to consistency for the near future.
