Final exam week has adopted a new schedule this year.
As final week approaches it has become clear to many students that a new schedule has been brought to Carlmont. Testing now starts on Monday instead of Tuesday and ends on Wednesday for students with six periods. Students with seven periods
Students have mixed feelings about the new schedule. Senior James Schulte said, “I only have five periods so [the schedule] is an advantage because I don’t have to come to school on Thursday. I get another day of break. But I feel really bad for the people who do have seven periods and have to come back. That must suck.”
Many students who do have seven periods are irritated with the new schedule. Senior Bita Shahrvini said, “I have to come to school for another day. Is this a joke? Plus it’s at eight in the morning, it’s not even late start. Half the school’s not going to be there. They’re all going to be out having fun.”
Other students who also have seven periods share Shahrvini’s disappointment of their shorter winter breaks. Junior Elise Dimick said, “I think it’s unfair because that means that everyone else gets a longer break than us. We are going to have to stay home and study while everyone else is out on Wednesday.”
The schedule change also eliminated the “free” Monday before testing that was active in previous years. This elimination has also been controversial among students.
Senior Kathryn Paraskevas said, “I’m glad we are going to start [testing] on Monday. The free day was useless because we never did anything. Now we can start earlier and get out sooner.”
While some share Paraskevas’ opinion, other students disagree. Schulte said, “I valued the Monday before testing because you don’t have the weekend to forget everything. You have the Monday with all of your classes and a lot of the teachers go over final review stuff so I think I’ll kind of miss that.”
Even though this new schedule gives students less time to study, it gives many a longer break.
This is the first year Carlmont is implementing this new testing policy and it is probable that it will take effect for years to come.