Diego Hernandez Co-Editor In Chief
As Covid-19 has turned our high school experience and that of our daily lives into a new reality, numerous events and regulations have been established. One such regulation is a new rule regarding end of year exams. This new rule states that beginning on March 1, students who attain no more than 3 or more absences throughout the year until June 3rd, will be exempt from having to take semester exams. Junior Rodrigo Valenzuela shares his views on how this rule changed the end of year period.
“I think these new changes to this year’s exam are great, it has lifted a good amount of stress from my shoulders for what’s left in the year,” Valenzuela said.
In years prior, exam lifting was only in effect for seniors who were nearing the end of their time in high school and did not need to meet more course requirements. However, this year it is applied to all grades from freshman to the graduating class. APUSH teacher Jennifer Cain tells of how she thinks these new protocols will affect students motives.
“I believe all eligible students will benefit from not having the semester exams this year – this will be one less stressor in an environment that was incredibly stressful for students and teachers this year,” Cain said.
Since its enactment, which has taken effect in all Northside schools, students have been able to breathe a bit more deeply than before. Schoology has provided both students and teachers with alternative electronic assignments, test taking strategies and skills have also largely changed for students, the exam lift aids to relieve this struggle.
“I think it relieves stress because test taking isn’t as easy as it was one year ago. Things have changed and so has our learning style,” Valenzuela said.
As this year has progressed, many students have slipped up on attendance rates. Class zooms have diminished in number, and failures have also met rising rates. This new alternative agreement could just be the push students need to go back to class.
“I think the attendance rate will be great and I am already seeing positive trends in attendance. I am also hoping that this will also cause students to finish strong in all of their courses,” Cain said.
Once heard, no matter the location, students were in awe of this major change to the course curriculum and requirements for their grade levels. Since this year’s start, Northisde has taken major liberties and precautions for the welfare of the students and this was no different.
“I first heard about the new stance on exams about a week and a half ago. My friends and family were actually able to hear it before me,” Valenzuela said
However, the new regulations are to be held in the highest confidence. If students extend over their absences, they would need to fulfill the exam requirement and put a burden on teachers. But if all is complete then they can enjoy the summer to come.
“For teachers, we sadly do not have any extra days off and will still have students that need to take the exams. But I am excited for my students that get to enjoy summer a little early,” Cain said.
On February 23rd, the school board of Northside ISD met to discuss this new plan. From this meeting introduced a new way to coax students to re-enter the virtual classroom and try their best to maintain better grades as these rules also require students to have passed both current and the most recent grading period. Although this year has been challenging, this new order can be the key needed to turn students lifes for the better.