Madison Central School Board Discusses Trimester Class Schedule

Posted on Friday, December 7, 2007

The Madison Central School Board held a special meeting last evening to hold a trimester study analysis. For nearly 2 hours the school board met with Margaret Sumption of Sumption and Wyland strategic and organizational planning and career coaching. Sumption appeared at the meeting to help work with the board to decide if the implementation of a semester class schedule at the high school would be the appropriate move for the district.

Sumption asked the board to define if there was a problem with the trimester system that the high school currently uses, or if there were opportunities that were being missed from being the only school in the state that uses the system. Board President Mark Hawkes says they don’t think there are any problems per say. Hawkes 1 #01120 :22 …benefits us.
When the district switched to the trimester system in 1997, the plan was to review it every 3 years to make sure it was doing what it was designed to do. The system has not been reviewed since it was implemented. Board member Rod Goeman asked if opportunities existed with schedule alignment with other schools in the community.

Craig Walker asked if the trimester system works so well, why is Madison the only district in the state to use it?

The board decided to make a decision on or before their regularly scheduled February meeting on whether or not they would go through with the study.

If the board decides to go through with the switch from trimester to semester, the change wouldn’t be held until school year 2009/2010.