oFinals exams are coming sooner than many expect, and some enterprising students are already wondering about eligibility and requirements for finals exemptions.

Each student must take their Fall finals for every class; exemptions are not a Fall possibility – so be sure to be present on final review days to get a good grade for the semester!

Spring Finals can be exempted, under a few certain requirements.

To be eligible to exempt Spring Finals, you must have no more than four absences in the first semester and no more than three absences in the second. School-related absences such as field trips, however, do not count towards these numbers.

Also, you need an 85 or above average in each of your classes. If an average for a class is below 85, you might not be eligible to exempt that class.

If you reach a level 3 on all of your EOCs, you can exempt all finals (no matter the average in your classes, as long as you’re passing). However, if you reach a level 3 on one EOC, but not all, you can automatically exempt the final for that subject, no matter the average (must be passing).  

The week before finals, counselors and administrators will be set up in the cafeteria handing out exemption forms. Any student can see if they have one, but if you do not have one, you’ve exceeded the allowed number of absences to exempt.

Once you have your form, you must take it to each of your teachers to sign, on the review day for that class period. If your average is lower than an 85, your teacher will not sign your form for that class period. On the day of your seventh period review, your teacher will take up all exemption forms.

If you’ve been checked off to exempt all finals, you do not even have to attend school on finals week. If you’re eligible to exempt some, but not all finals, you will have to show up on the day for the finals of that period. But don’t worry, if you must take one final for one day, but are eligible to exempt the next final for the same day, you can get a pass to leave the school early.

If you’ve exceeded the acceptable number of absences for this school year but still want to try and exempt finals, there is an alternate option. You can pick up a Hardship Waiver from the principal’s secretary, Mrs. Rendon, or during lunch. A committee will individually look over each form and decide if the hardship is a valid excuse to make you still exemption eligible. 

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