There is a plan to implement trimesters at Waterford High School during the school years of 2023-2024 and beyond.

     Though there are the benefits of fitting more classes into each schedule, there are several reasons why trimesters may bring unwanted changes to our school.

• Most colleges prefer semesters.  In most colleges, semesters are implemented and used.  High school is a time when students are getting prepared for the next step in their lives, which, in many cases, is college.  Having a schedule that is already like a college schedule would allow the students to be more comfortable.  (Note, that a few colleges use a trimester system, but the vast majority uses a semester system.) 
• Classes may have a gap in the learning.  Many students take full-year classes, like math, English, science, and world languages.  With a full-year class, there's a chance that one-half of the class could be in the first trimester, while the second half could be in the third trimester.  Having a trimester schedule would make it so there's a huge learning gap, causing many students to forget what they've learned at the beginning of the year—and, overall, causing a setback in their education.  Not only would the trimester system make it harder for students to retain information, but it would also make it harder for students to stay consistent in both their work ethic and motivation for each of these classes.
• More homework, less time.  With the semester schedules, there are two different days, with 4 different classes each day.  On the other hand, with the trimester schedule, there would be 6-7 classes each day.  The semester schedule gives students a 2 day period to finish a homework assignment, but with the trimester schedule, students would only be given one night, which, in many cases, is not enough time to complete the assignment.  With less time to learn materials, classes would either have to move at a faster pace, or important information would be cut out, putting more stress on both the students and teachers.

The trimester system is not beneficial to either the students nor teachers at Waterford High School. We would like to see a change in the right direction, as we, the students of this school, will not acquiesce quietly to this conversion of our education. As members of the community—and students of the school, no less—we refuse to sit back and not let our voices be heard. Therefore, please join us in making a change not only for ourselves, but the thousands of other children that will continue to make an impact on future society with the education they’ve received from Waterford High School.