San Luis Obispo High School students are very familiar with the trimester system, but that might change sooner than students expected. On Friday, December 14, teachers will be voting on whether or not to keep the current schedule and whichever schedule wins over fifty percent of the vote will be implemented in the 2020 school year.

   “As a choir teacher, it [the trimester system] impacts our program, unfortunately adversely. This year I’m going to lose about ten students right before a concert and bring in maybe two new students to learn a piece in a week. So it’s really unreasonable,” said choir teacher David Alm.

   The trimester system could possibly be switched out for a semester or block schedule. The fall back semester system is a six-period day. The block schedule is a semester system with a block schedule for Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays, students would take periods one, three, and five, for ninety minutes each and on Thursdays students would take periods two, four, and six, for ninety minutes each.

   “I personally like the trimester system because it allows for more elective space, and just in general you can take more classes. So if we went to a semester system I don’t exactly know how I’d feel about that, mostly due to just sticking to one thing and then having that thing change,” said senior Jordan Johl.

  Historically, students do not support the possible change. In 2016, SLOHS students participated in a walk out the last time a schedule change was brought to the table.

  “The instructional schedule vote, that we have once a year, is an important time for teachers to reflect on our school and our school’s culture, and I think that the vote allows us to revisit what we offer for our students. I don’t want to talk about my preference on it because I’m the chair of the committee that runs it,” said English teacher Jane Hawley.

  Overall the trimester vote brings out strong opinions on both sides and is a vote that will change how SLOHS functions.