In Roxbury High School there is a new rule put in place that if you have greater than a 90% average you are exempt from the final within that class. Many have mixed opinions on this topic ranging from students to teachers to parents. Some believe that this exemption from finals is setting us up to possibly struggle in college, or is this a generous break being given to decrease stress?
Elizabeth Rittger, a parent of student Katie Rittger at Roxbury, believes that “even though finals come with stress, it’s something everyone should partake in” and additionally adds that everyone should take finals, it is a skill you’ll need in college if you take that route in your future.To further extend off Rittgers point, a research paper written by Professor Maya M. Khanna at Creighton University and colleagues concluded that end of course exams may possibly enhance students’ learning. This was found when a cumulative final “helped promote a better understanding of the course” they were taking at the time, as they had to refer back to everything that they gained understanding of. This reveals that the use of a final here at Roxbury may be beneficial for our students, and even their future as a final may help gain and retain knowledge.
On the other hand, student Taylor Schauble and vice president of the class of 2026 in student council, passionately claims that if you have a 90% and above you should be exempted from finals in that class. She states that “It’s a great system because if students can prove they understand the material it doesn’t seem effective to give a final” and because of that finals are not needed. In addition, a study conducted by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that “Almost 40 percent of parents say their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of stress from school.” This shows that with the added stress from finals it may take a greater toll on our students.
Ms. Rispoli, an English teacher here at Roxbury High School, believes that finals are needed because “it’s our job (teachers) to create a focus and not encourage laziness. Students are here for learning and not rewards, that can wait until June”’ and adds that if kids are only studying this material only once a year then forgetting it totals to around eight months of knowledge lost. In simpler terms, she believes that finals are a necessity to retain knowledge similar to what Rittger believes.
As the view from student to teacher to parents varies, the exemption from finals with a 90% average or above is here to stay. These multiple views overlap but in the future will finals even be a tradition at the end of the school year anymore? With new ideas to come many are invested to see how schools will change throughout our students lifetime, not just with finals but with all aspects of being a Gael at Roxbury High School.
