As the first semester of the 2020-2021 school years nears a close, students in semester long classes are preparing for their Final exams. In years past, those exams who normally be tests administered during the last week of school before Christmas break. This year, though, the set up is different.

All semester classes, meaning classes that only have a 0.5 credit and last for two quarters instead of the whole year, must administer a final exam. This year instead of taking a traditional test with  different styled questions, all finals will be project based with a presentation. 

Mr. Eric Beltran, head of the Theology department and 12th grade World Religions teacher, believes that this is a creative way to asses students during the hybrid school model. 

“A project based assessment can be a great substitute in a case like ours as long as the project can incorporate several elements of learning,” says Mr. Beltran.  

Teachers are working hard to come up with project ideas they think their students will enjoy while also will properly assessing them. Mr. Beltran plans to assign a project on researching cults in his world religions class. 

Students in AP or Dual Enrollment classes must follow the requirements for those courses and are not exempted from finals. However, seniors who are not in AP or Dual Enrollment classes will have the opportunity to be exempted from the semester final.

The student’s semester average is 90 or better with the condition the student attend the presentations of their fellow classmates. If the student qualifies for exemption, a grade of X will be entered in the grade book if the students reports to all presentations. A grade of 50 will be entered if the student is exempted but does not attend the presentations.

Year long classes, meanwhile, will continue like normal. Previously, year long classes would have midterms at the end of the second quarter, but as of last year, midterm exams are no longer part of the school curriculum.