Many students look forward to the opportunity CGHS has given them of avoiding some finals as a senior. As we all know, finals week is stressful. We walk in with bags under our eyes, old tee shirts from 6th grade that we may or may not have spilled spaghetti on, and if you’re lucky…coffee. After doing all of this for years the idea of getting to skip a final sounds like you’ve ascended to Cloud 9. Of course, this doesn’t come easily as it takes hard work to make the requirements. You must have no lower than a B+ for either of your final weeks and the average must be an A. Sadly, there is a catch, your second nine weeks cannot be lower than your first.
“I can’t S to the 5th Econ because my first 9 weeks was a B…I have an A for the semester,” senior Emily Larmore said.
Many students are frustrated and confused with how the grades and regulations are determined for S to the 5th. If you receive a B the first nine weeks and an A the second, you have an A-/B+ average. They are not very merciful, that B determines that you do not get to S to the 5th. Maybe averaging out the percentages would help. If you receive an 83% B and then a 93% A, it will average to an 88% B+. If you get an 86% B and then a 98% A it will average out to a 92% A-. This could help many to still S to the 5th.
Say you meet all of those requirements, how many days have you missed? You are not allowed to have more than two unexcused absences but, beware if you have a doctor’s appointment. Those can now only happen on weekends, or study hall. If you miss a class, even with a doctor’s note, you cannot S to the 5th that class as it is counted as an absence for that period.
“I scheduled my surgery on the Wednesday before labor day so I wouldn’t miss too many days with recovery but I found out that it counts for an absence for S to the 5th even if you have a note” senor Katie Reckert said.
Most would think a doctor’s note would excuse you. They must think we are writing them on our own as both tired seniors and doctors have messy writing. For this reason many seniors are taking things up with the main office. Some students cannot come to school due to medical issues. If you have a doctor’s note saying you should not or cannot come to school, I think it is in our personal interest that you stay home… nobody wants pinkeye. We should keep the 2 days of unexcused absences limit but we should be more sympathetic with doctors notes and not count them against S to the 5th. No one can control when they get sick or if they have an illness that causes them to not attend regularly. If you’ve done the make up work and kept an A, even with your absences, you have put forth the work and deserve that reward.
Unless changes are made, it seems many seniors will take more finals than expected. Don’t forget your study guides and pillow pets.
