By Dani Heller
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous aspects of the Irvington High School year are unlike those of the past. Due to a number of reasons, the administration has just announced that there will not be an ordinary midterms week this January.
In the past, there has been a whole week of January allotted for mid-year testing. However, with the essential social distance precautions, finding times and places to test the whole school in multiple subjects would be strenuous.
Additionally, many teachers have stressed that they have been unable to teach their fast paced curriculum as quickly as they have in previous years, and that an extra week to continue their curriculum would be beneficial. Especially, they say, as it is still unclear what the end of the school year will look like regarding New York State Regents, finals, and AP Exams.
The school is still allowing teachers to administer midterms if they see fit, yet they are limited to only a single period. Similar to past years, these abbreviated midterms will account for 10 percent of a students’ yearlong average. If a teacher chooses to opt out of giving a midterm, each marking period grade will be worth more to account for this loss.
This has been a difficult year mentally for students and teachers alike. The isolation and difficulties learning in this modified environment have been numerous and apparent.
Junior Tess Davidowitz stated, “Junior year is known to be a difficult year academically, yet during these times of uncertainty it seems as if it is even more challenging than those of the past. Hearing that midterms have been cancelled relieves a lot of stress, so I am very content with this adjustment.”
