Quarterly Exams: Are Students Feeling Too Pressured?

As we enter the last week of the second marking period, classes have begun to administer each of their respective quarterly exams. Although the concept of “midterm week” has effectively been discontinued in the Half Hollow Hills School District as of now, quarterlies still remain in place at the end of each quarter. 

As a way to reduce the stress placed on the students, Hills West has developed a system to spread out these exams. This includes each core subject having specific weeks in which they can give their exams. For example, science classes typically give their quarterly exams the week after the quarter ends while English classes are instructed to give theirs two weeks before the end of the quarter. This system, which has been in place for a few years now, has produced positive results from students and parents in the school! Students have been able to perform better on these exams, overall benefitting their grades. Samara D’Agostino, a junior at Hills West, mentioned that by the quarterly exams being more spread out, she “has more time to focus on each individual subject” allowing her to make sure she “understands the material better for each class.” 

This consensus was fairly popular among all of the students as they tend to feel less pressured because their exams are not piling up. Students have also mentioned that they were able to manage their time better and get enough sleep, contributing to their physical health as well. Overall, the enactment of this schedule has had a positive impact on the students, resolving the issue of overloads of stress and anxiety coming to the end of each quarter.