How finals will look for the 2020 semester

With all the craziness and uncertainty in our daily school schedule, one thing has not changed within our way of learning: tests. Most teachers have continued to give out tests and quizzes, despite the short amount of time we spend in the classroom each week. Knowing that it’s possible to still continue tests, it makes me wonder, will we have finals as normal this year or not?
Towards the end of November, Mr. Dahlen sent out an email to staff regarding finals this year. As I expected, with a not-so-normal year will come not-so-normal finals.
“I wanted to clarify that our traditional final days of the semester will look different,” Dahlen said in the email.
This year, giving out a final test is optional, but all courses will be required to choose the same option for finals. For example, if the U.S. History teachers decide they want to do a final, then every U.S. History class will be taking a final test during the final period. This goes the same way if they all choose to finish up a unit, do a project, or take a unit test instead.
“We are providing a lot of flexibility, but I want FNH teachers of the same course to be identical,” Dahlen said in the email to the teachers.
Another change for this year is we will not be having our usual finals schedule. Due to the hybrid format, they will continue through “finals week” the same as every other week. Essentially, A-K students will have “finals” January 11 and January 13, while the other half will have their “final” periods January 12 and January 14. Friday the fifteenth will be a virtual day for everybody.
For most North students, they are very relieved at learning not all teachers will be giving out a final this year.
“I’m definitely relieved that we’re not having normal finals, especially since we only go to school two days a week. But even if there’s no final test, I feel like teachers should still do a big review at the end of the semester to go over everything we learned,” said senior Sylvia Schwantes.
This school year has definitely been an ongoing adjustment for everybody, and having at least one less test is a giant weight off of the shoulders of North students.
Due to this strange year, teachers do not have as much time to get through the content as they usually would, so for the most part teachers are deciding to not have a final. The best way to find out specifically what your teachers are deciding to do would be to ask them in class. I sent out a survey to teachers also to see what they’ll most likely be doing for their classes, but everything is subject to change at any moment with this weird year. I highly suggest asking your teachers in person, and start preparing now if you will have a few upcoming final tests!