The finals schedule this year is a week of eight-period days and a non-attendance day for students on Friday unless they need to recover their grade. Exams will be given based on class period, not subject. After remote learning, a shift away from 80 minute final periods and early dismissal for students after exams has been made.

District 99 hopes that the implementation of these changes will reduce student stress while still providing students with the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge they have learned throughout the semester.

Principal Arwen Lyp is experiencing her first finals schedule as a principal in District 99 and spoke on the intentions behind the design of the schedule.

¨One of the reasons that we were really intentional about eight period days is that we did not want the exams to be a full 78 minutes long… We have learned and reflected on an entire district that this creates unnecessary stress for students to take a test that long,¨ Lyp said.

Another new aspect of the schedule is that there are no exams scheduled for Friday Dec. 16. On this day, students who need to makeup a final, exam or work from the semester are able to meet with their teachers. Lyp spoke on the importance of providing support for students who are struggling.

¨For students who are struggling that day of having an entire day on Dec. 16 to be able to come in, have teachers available, make up missing tests or exams will be beneficial. I’m excited that we have that full day of support built in for students who struggle,¨ Lyp said.

Many classes give a variety of final exams, such as papers, projects, traditional cumulative finals and unit tests. Social studies teacher James Chochole spoke on the importance of giving students finals.

¨The benefits of final exams are good practice for college and the last opportunity for students to gain credit or boost their grade,¨ Chochole said.

Senior Nora Joy has experienced several finals schedules during her time in high school and shared her opinion regarding the finals schedule for this school year.

¨I think the finals schedule is an improvement from last year because we don’t have school on Friday, but as a student I think that it is going to be difficult to go to a full day of school while also having to take finals periodically throughout the day,¨ Joy said.

While there have been many changes surrounding the finals schedule in recent years, the future of the finals schedule is uncertain. Lyp hopes to receive feedback from students and teachers on the benefits and drawbacks of the schedule this year to make finals a beneficial experience for all involved.