If you and your peers were lined up outside of your classroom door, would Dr. Pernick know your name?  How often have you seen Dr. Hynes around the Schreiber building and campus?  For many, the answers to these questions are likely no and never, respectively.  This fundamental lack of connection between the student body and administration has facilitated some of the school’s recent inconveniences, including the dysfunction relating to distributing midterms.

Midterm week is traditionally held following Martin Luther King Jr. Day with two groupings of tests, each lasting two to three hours, offered every day.  In addition, students only attend school for their designated testing blocks.  However, citing the spike in COVID-19 cases and the cancellation of the January Regents exam, Dr. Pernick scrapped midterm week, instead electing for in-class “cumulative exams.”

“I have asked teachers to work within their departments to ensure that exams do not exceed one class period and to spread out exams wherever possible to avoid students having multiple exams on the same day,” said Dr. Pernick, in his letter to parents and students.

Despite this ideal, the principal’s wish is simply impossible, as most students are enrolled in social studies, math, science, english, and a language, giving them at least five tests (not including electives) over the four-day Jan. 25 to Jan. 28 exam cycle.  As a result, even bearing the minimum work-load, students will automatically be subjected to a harsh testing schedule, rocketing stress levels higher.

Nonetheless, Dr. Pernick assures students and parents that, “We are well aware of the toll the COVID resurgence is having on the mental health of our students.”

Although the rapid spread of the Omicron variant is extremely concerning to students, holding the typical midterm week would actually decrease the number of hours students are in the building.  Furthermore, the usual designated week of testing provides students with more time to study between tests and less daily homework (and consequently, less energy and time exerted on those assignments);  thus, students can achieve more resting sleep that may allow them to achieve stronger results on their exams.

An argument can be made that the official midterm week was canceled to reduce the number of tests that students diagnosed with COVID-19 would have to make-up upon return.  Finding time to retake graded in-class assignments can be difficult, but this disregards the fact that when students have had to make-up midterms in the past due to illness, teachers have been considerate regarding retakes.  Despite the fact that COVID-19 has a longer quarantine period than the flu, per say, making-up tests should not be a concern.

Lastly, both students and, more importantly, staff were unaware of how midterm week would function as the calendar moved into the first week of January.  This meant that educators could not adequately prepare students for the testing structure of the midterm, as there were no hints as to whether midterms would be administered in one hour or two, in-person or during a designated testing block, or if class would occur simultaneously with testing.  Other subsequent questions remain relating to the class teaching plans for the coming school weeks and the second quarter grading method.

It is immensely disappointing to see the lack of communication between Schreiber’s management and its students and employees on the topic of midterm week and, more broadly, other issues around the building.  Mental health needs to be prioritized, and time-tested, proven methods of instruction, including the traditional midterm week (which affords students time to study, as well as sleep), should continue to be implemented, as best as possible given the pandemic.  In the future, administration needs to play a more active role in the overall inner-workings of Schreiber and accept that students’ perspectives, even if they do not completely align with the school’s plans, may be beneficial.