Newcastle High School students who maintain A and B grades in courses throughout the semester and have either no or few excused and unexcused absences may be exempt from taking two of their semester tests.
A new policy in the Newcastle High School handbook, approved by the school board at their September meeting, allows students to be exempt from two semester tests under certain criteria.
The old policy, utilized through the 2023-24 school year, was that all high school students were required to take comprehensive exams each semester in all courses, and those exams would count as 10% of the semester grade.
In order to be exempt from tests, students must maintain a minimum grade of B (80% or higher) in the course throughout the semester, and students with a B semester course grade can have no more than two absences. Students who maintain an A in a semester course can have no more than three excused or unexcused absences.
If students choose to be exempt from an exam, their current course grade will be their final grade. According to the new policy, students may still choose to take the final exam even if they are exempt. If so, the exam grade will only be counted if it improves the student’s overall course grade.
The policy does provide for some exceptions. It states that state-mandated end-of-course exams cannot be exempted. And, students with any suspensions or serious disciplinary infractions are not eligible for exemptions. As well, teachers reserve the right to require a student to take the final exam, even if the student meets the exemption criteria.
