The fall semester of the 25-26 school year is dwindling down, and with that comes the stress, pressure, and intensity of final exams; one last chance for students to raise their grade, showcase what they’ve learned, and embark on one last assessment for their classes.
In previous years, only seniors were allowed to be exempt from final exams, a consequence only rewarded to students who were completing their final year of high school. As long as seniors had at least a percentage of eighty in the class and had ten or less absences and tardies, the students were allowed to miss out on the last rigorous evaluation.
However, this year Green Level has added a twist to this rule. Now, students of all grade levels, the oldest and youngest, are allowed to be granted exemption from these final exams. As long as the students fall into the criteria mentioned above, individuals don’t have to complete their class finals, with the exception of end of course (EOC) assessments.
“It is definitely a change, but I think it’s for the better. Finals can seem like a huge hassle, and it definitely helps take unnecessary stress off of students while trying to finish the semester strong,” said Chemistry teacher Daniel Beavers.
Teachers are wrapping up their grades, with assigning the last few tasks to really test their students and what they’ve learned. All grades are due on Monday, January 12th, with the exemption list for finals coming out on the 14th.
The last twist added on final exams this year are the actual date of them. With the last day of instruction being Wednesday and review day being conducted on Thursday, the first period exam falls on Friday, January 16th.
While there are rewards to this new rule, such as students not having to worry about having to review all of the material from the semester, there are also some negatives. Having finals in high school allows individuals to get used to having one last exam that combines all information learned throughout the duration of instruction, and how to study for these assessments. This can help set up students for success if they choose to pursue their education beyond high school.
It is only a matter of time to see if Green Level keeps this rule around for all grade levels, or transitions back to the traditional exemption for only seniors.
If you are taking a final, good luck. Study hard and remember how capable you are of completing these assessments!
