Whitehall-Coplay SD to shift progress reporting to trimesters for 2026–2027 school year
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Summary
A presenter announced the district will move from four quarterly progress reports to three trimesters in the 2026–2027 school year to align with standards-based grading, increase formative feedback opportunities, and provide more remediation time; families will get mid-trimester reports and updates.
A presenter announced that Whitehall-Coplay SD will move progress reporting from four quarters to three trimesters for the 2026–2027 school year as part of the district's transition to standards-based grading.
The change will replace four quarterly progress reports with three trimester reports. Under the announced schedule each trimester will include 60 instructional days; currently the district uses four quarters of 45 instructional days each and issues progress reports or report cards four times per year.
District staff framed the change as intended to give teachers more opportunities for detailed formative feedback and to allow students who are struggling with particular standards more time to receive support and demonstrate improvement before the grading period ends. Officials said assessments will continue to be viewable in PowerSchool, parent-teacher conferences will continue, and a mid-trimester progress report will be sent to parents and guardians halfway through each trimester.
Supporters in the presentation argued trimesters better align with standards-based grading because the longer periods provide more time for instruction and assessment focused on mastery rather than short-term performance benchmarks. The presenter also said the trimester schedule 'offers a clearer picture of student progress over a longer period, helping educators, students, and parents and guardians see how the student is developing over time.
The transcript uses the phrase "characteristics of a successful Zephyr" and says upcoming videos will identify and explain those characteristics; the presenter did not define "Zephyr" in the recorded remarks. The presenter also said many updates will be shared in the weekly Sunday family newsletter.
The announcement describes an operational change in reporting cadence and communications; the transcript does not state whether the shift was approved at a public board meeting in this recording or whether further formal approvals are required. The district plans mid-trimester reporting and explanatory videos as next steps.
