A semester is a boundary, not a filter.

A new semester creates a new context for attendance and clearance. Simply changing the label in the interface leaves old and new records sharing assumptions.

Treat the academic period as part of the identity of a record. Sessions, attendance, and clearance should refer to that period explicitly. Historical views can then show one period without rewriting another.

Some information has a different lifetime. A student's identity persists, while a semester's obligations do not. Making that distinction early helps keep reports and transitions understandable.