Finals now before winter break

Students might enjoy winter break a little more next year. While used to having their finals in late January, two weeks after coming back from winter break, students will end the semester before winter break.

“I think the new change is great for finals before break,” said junior Kelly Hamed. “I’d be worried about having to study, but now I can enjoy my break and do things I actually want to do.”

Most students have complained for years that having finals after break makes it hard to retain information leading to finals, and that they have homework and studying over winter break.

Parents and students may wonder how this shift will affect the school year, but according to administration, the date change of finals won’t affect the starting date of the school year.

School will start Tuesday Aug. 22, the same date as last fall, and the first semester will be two weeks shorter in length.

Principal Michael McAlister believes this will help students improve academically.“Trends show that schools with these types of schedules support student achievement. Also, after the initial adjustment, these schedules become very popular among all stakeholders of a school community,” he said.

Students see the new change as something that is long overdue, and are excited for a less stressful winter break. “It gives us the opportunity to do better on finals and enjoy our break,” junior Zareen Hashimi said.

McAlister said that this issue has been studied for some time and that he expects its to be promising. “I’m convinced that once we’ve adjusted to the change, this will be very popular,” McAlister said.