North Bend board approves switch from trimesters to semesters for middle and high schools

The North Bend School District board unanimously approved a transition from a trimester schedule to a semester schedule for North Bend Middle School and North Bend High School beginning in the 2025-26 school year.

The district presented the change as a move toward alignment with most Oregon schools and a source of modest instructional gains. Superintendent Vin Swaggerty and district staff told the board the prototype calendar would add instructional hours (about 15 additional hours at the elementary-equivalent measure, seven at middle school and six at high school), reduce the number of grading days and make student-course transfers and state-required half-credit courses easier to manage.

Why it matters: The change removes a longstanding scheduling difference between North Bend and many neighboring districts. Staff said the semester calendar improves efficiency — for example, by reducing repeated safety training in CTE (career and technical education) shops and simplifying half-credit course requirements such as the reinstated personal-finance mandate.

Public comment and student voice: Several members of the public and parents addressed the board during the meeting. Marissa McClintock urged the board to keep the trimester system, arguing that shorter terms help attendance and provide more course variety: "The trimester system gives students the ability to explore a wider variety of electives," she said. Nick Preston, a parent with three district students, asked that the district present more research and consider outreach to parents and teachers before making the change. Student representative Taylor Thompson gave a school update and described extracurricular successes; Thompson also raised a separate concern about graduation stoles for enlistees.

Board discussion and vote: After staff described the proposed calendar and the counseling department summarized the transcript-conversion approach for existing credits, a board member moved and another seconded the measure. The board voted unanimously to approve the transition, 7-0.

Implementation notes: District staff said the transition will require transcript conversions for students with credits under the trimester system; counselors and the student information system will apply conversion rules (for example, converting three trimester credits into one yearlong credit and handling partial completions by fraction). The district also said staff, principals and counselors had been consulted and that most employees were neutral or supportive in internal surveys.

Next steps and timeline: The approved change takes effect for the 2025-26 school year; staff will finalize a prototype calendar and notify families, finalize teacher professional-development scheduling and publish specific course and grading changes before spring registration.