As always, the finals exemption list has been rolled out, and students have been filled with either relief or dread as the check to see what end of year test they will have to take. However, this year, there is a slight catch. In order for students to be able to exempt their finals, they must actually attend class to sign a paper acknowledging that they claim their exemption.

“I think it’s pointless,” senior Amanda Castillo said. “People with the attendance to get the exemptions have earned their time to miss class. It wastes our time, and wastes our teachers time.”

This is a contrast to previous years, in which there was no system in place that held students accountable for their attendance. If a students fails to claim their exemption, their final will be marked as a ‘0,’ and they will be required to take the test during the summer.

“I’m glad that we’re still able to exempt and leave,” sophomore Mara Sherry said. “However, I feel that there should be a simpler way to go about it. It seems like there will be a lot of confusion.”  

If a student wishes to leave school on the days of finals, they must present a signed note in the front office before school hours officially begin. Otherwise, they will be marked absent, or not allowed to leave campus. This is in attempt to give students incentive to attend school, as every student present during the first period of each day will result in a higher monetary budget for the district.

“It’s somewhat useless,” sophomore JaeLin Smith said. “Kids are still going to leave, so what’s the point of setting up a complex ‘pass’ system?”

In order for a student to have exempted an exam, they must have an ‘80’ or higher average in the class, and can only have a maximum of 6 absences. A full list of exemptions is available in the hall outside the library, where each student can find their exemptions by locating their I.D. number.

“I understand why they would be making this new policy only because it is a way for the district to save money,” senior Jacob Vaughn said. “ So, although it may seem a stretch for some students who are exempt from all or most of their finals, it is a step that should be taken, and doesn’t take that much effort.”