For the first time since January 2020, the formal semester exam period returns to the high school next week.
Exam week was eliminated in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when former Principal Eric Juli reduced formal testing in response to the challenges of remote and hybrid learning. With limited instructional time and remote instruction, teachers were unable to administer traditional exams. Since then, the high school has encouraged use of alternative assessments in place of a structured exam schedule, but some teachers continued to administer semester and final exams during daily class periods.
This year, administrators reinstated the dedicated exam schedule following feedback from staff and students. Senior administrative assistant Laurie Brem said the decision was made in part to better prepare students for post-secondary expectations. “I believe that midterms were brought back this year because not only did the teachers want it, I believe the students wanted it as well,” Brem said. “It is one way to prepare for post-high school experiences like college, or a job.”
Previously, the exam schedule was organized by academic subject, and exam periods were three hours long. For example, students took a math exam in the morning, broke for lunch, then completed a social studies exam in the afternoon. This schedule repeated until all core subject, make-up and conflict exams were complete by the end of the week.
This year’s schedule is organized by class period and spans three days, from Jan. 13-15. Each day is divided into three, two-hour testing blocks, with students reporting only for the periods in which they will take an exam. Students are not required to attend study halls or classes that do not require exams.
A snack break is scheduled from 10:20 to 10:30 a.m. each day followed by lunch after the second testing block. Extended time and make-up exams are scheduled at the end of each day. Friday, Jan. 16 will be a teacher clerical day, and no classes will be held.
Freshman Abigail Thompson said she has been preparing by studying and creating practice tests. “I am in between high and low confidence,” she said. “Certain classes have open-note tests, and some aren’t.”
Thompson said that the schedule could be improved by allowing breaks during long testing periods.
Sophomore Julian Davis said that he is concerned about the timing of the exams, which take place only a week after returning from winter break. “The schedule this year is horrible,” he said. “It’s right after winter break, not two or three weeks after. I at least need more time to maneuver and transition back into school.”
Davis also said that some students feel pressure to use winter break to prepare for exams. “I think people are forced to use winter break to study,” he said. “I used it to study, but by choice, just so I can make a better decision.”
Math teacher Ryan Routh said that an exam week will help students prepare for college. “I think it’s good that we’ve gotten back to exam week,” Routh said. “Some of the feedback we used to hear a lot from the students once they went to college was that they felt prepared for exams.”
However, he said that the three-day testing schedule can be overwhelming for students. “I think the one area that is difficult for students, especially older students, is having the exams over three days. That’s quite a lift having three exams in one day,” Routh said. “I’m not sure there’s an easy way around that – but I do think it is pretty demanding for some of our students here.”
Despite the challenges, Brem said that the experience is intended to support long-term student readiness. “It’s going to be a learning experience for sure.”
Managing Editor Daniel Carroll, Spotlight Reporter Charlie Howell, Campus and City Editor Vijaya Sadler, Spotlight Editor Lucas Tcheurekdjian and City Reporter Cate Wanick contributed reporting.
