First Semester Finals Information
Story by Lily Temple – Assistant Editor
As second semester is coming to an end, finals week is approaching. Unlike last year, second semester will end in December before break as opposed to January. The decision last year to end second semester after winter break was widely unpopular to say the least.
“Feedback from staff, students, and parents about the learning loss that happens over winter breaks impacting finals performance were the main driver of the change to end the semester in December,” Barry Crilley, assistant principal, said.
Although the actual finals schedule is voted upon by teachers in the building, when first semester actually ends is a much bigger decision.
“The district has a calendar committee composed of different stakeholder groups that decide the calendar. The decision is made at the district level to provide consistency across all buildings and take into account not only the needs of the high school buildings but of those at the middle and elementary levels,” Crilley said.
This year’s finals schedule is similar to those in the past with two or three finals on each day leading up to break. First semester ends on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Finals will begin on Tuesday of that week starting with second and sixth hour finals. On Wednesday third and fourth hour finals will take place leaving first, fifth and seventh for the last day. With barely two weeks left in the semester students and staff are all looking forward to getting finals over with and enjoying their winter break.