The January Term, an idea currently being discussed by a faculty committee, shows that Episcopal is looking to the future, hoping to allow students more opportunities to discover their passions and to develop a global perspective, which will help graduates succeed in an increasingly competitive world. While the” J-Term” inarguably has many benefits, downsides to this program also exist. As the committee is currently in the early stages of planning, the student voice should be heard as soon as possible so the student body, and entire Episcopal community, can be granted the say they are promised.
Questions about the program abound. The proposed removal of midterms would pose a problem for students, as it would place more weight on finals and increase the amount of material on June exams. While certain exams, such as History and Math, do test students on material from the entire year, these tests typically include more second semester material, since teachers have already tested the students on first semester knowledge on the midterms.With spring already being a busy time for students as they attempt to balance extracurricular commitments, APs, SATs, and schoolwork, the administration should look for ways to decrease stress levels, instead of ratcheting them up. Freshmen would be negatively affected by the removal of midterms as they would not be preparing for their first high school exams until June. Although other Inter-Ac schools have done away with formal midterm examinations, replacing midterms with the “J-Term” would not only increase students’ stress but also fail to prepare students for semester exams in college.
Although the specifics of the different “J-Term” projects have yet to be disclosed to the community, the proposed trips would only add additional costs for parents, who are already financially strapped by a nearly 30,000 dollar a year tradition. This concern leads to many other financial questions. Would all “J-Term” projects involve additional costs? Would “J-Term” lead to a tuition increase?
While these questions have yet to be answered by the committee, students and parents should be informed of them sooner rather than later. All Episcopal community members must be involved in the planning of the “J-Term” at its earliest stages. If the community becomes involved after the official “J-Term” proposal has been created, it will be harder for them to enact change in a project which will directly affect both parents and students.

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