Senior Shift

New year, new rules? A new year has begun, and seniors are already scurrying to manage upcoming deadlines. The graduation and senior project requirements have changed, and students must adjust their plans to fit the new demands. Senior counselor Whitney Bonnell shares her views on how the new policy will assist students.
“I do like that there are opportunities for students to take avenues in order to demonstrate post-secondary readiness competencies versus a make or break in terms of passing a test,” Bonnell said. “I do think it is positive to move that way, so kids aren’t having to retake tests or set the remediation courses, or things like that, and they are getting to explore things that may be applicable to them after high school.”
Bonnell understands that test taking can boost a students’ GPA, but it can also hinder a students’ success if they are not an avid test-taker. Senior Anabell Hunter agrees that the new requirements will be a benefit.
“You, as a senior, have a lot that you need to worry about, and so I think not having to do as much as you did before is very helpful,” Hunter said.
The board hopes that the new requirements will lead to a more flexible journey towards graduation. School Board member, Todd Grimes identifies the changes in adaptability.
“There’s more student choice involved and more flexibility in terms of the courses that students in the future will be able to take to earn their diploma,” Grimes said. Grimes realizes that the new policy is going to be more lenient and gives students an opportunity to enjoy a bit more control over their graduation path. Even though the new policy will be a bit more on the required credits standards, Grimes has no worries for the graduation rates.
“This new proposal will require a minimum of 42 credits as opposed to 40 to get your diploma,” He said. “And of course not many kids get only 40; most of them are in the ballpark of 50 or more.”
The new policy has increased its standards; the required credits amount has climbed the scale. Additionally, the new policy sees a change in standardized testing, inducing the idea that success shouldn’t be based upon an exam.
“I think that we’re moving from just having testing being the indicator of whether a kid should graduate or not,” Bonnell said. “You’ve probably seen that there have been a lot of colleges that test optional, so they’re trying to look at students holistically, rather than just test my scores, which, in my opinion, is fantastic.”
Grimes reflects that the state enjoys fixing things that don’t need to be fixed.
“Oftentimes, with the state, it feels like their philosophy is ‘If it ain’t broke, let’s find a way to break it’,” Grimes said.
This current proposal is bringing a new wave of frustration for students.
“I do think it causes a little bit of stress for those who may want to go one direction, and then find out from their experience that they don’t like a certain program and they need to switch gears,” Bonnell said.
She understands that the new policy can be beneficial, but it depends on how it is approached. Advancing towards the senior project will cause stress for some, as they adjust their plan to fit the guidelines. Senior Neal White is beginning to work on his senior project, getting every piece ready for the big picture.
“I guess part of it is just making sure that you have everything ready because it’s kind of the most long term project you do in high school,” says White, “A lot of the other projects in high school are only two weeks long, but the senior project is pretty much the entire year, or at least half the year.”
White knows that the senior project will be a big undertaking, but he is ready for the challenge that the new changes bring. As Grimes reflects his past years of teaching and looks into the future, he hopes that the changes will end up benefiting the student population.
“The world’s a little different now then it was 34 years ago, and so I think they’re on the right track with the notion with this new diploma,” Grimes said.
He appreciates that the policy is being changed, as he recognizes the evolutions the rest of the world has gone through. Bonnell agrees that North is in expert care.
“I think that North and BCSC are very fortunate to have the programming that they have,” Bonnell said.