By Rahul Kaul ’12, News Editor

Last spring, Newark Academy students mentally crossed “NA exams” off their long, crammed list of exams already populated with SATs, ACTs, APs, and IBs. Unfortunately for such students, the Newark Academy administration decided to preserve the traditional fall exams this year, even with the new semester system and future mini-terms. Students were told last spring that the intimidating end-of-term exams would be a thing of the past.  Yet, the faculty’s request for comprehensive end-of-term tests added one final roadblock to the students’ holiday season.

Head of School Mr. Austin described how “certain departments felt it was important to have a summative assessment at the end of a lengthy period of work” and that “there will most likely be a rotation” of exam subjects for the fall exams, with Foreign Language not being one of them.  He adds that “the faculty spent a lot of time this fall discussing the philosophy of [Newark Academy] assessments,” coming to the conclusion that a “variety” of evaluations suits the school.  Mr. Austin notes how in France, the educational system is “totally exam driven… [having] perverse effects.” Consistently studying for exams, “some students begin preparing for [major exams such as the BAC] years in advance, which is not particularly healthy.”

Despite the potential future gains from setting aside days for exams, students like Junior Marc Goldberg believe that they should have been given a clearer advance warning of the assessment date. Goldberg remembers how “my math teacher [did keep] repeating that we ‘have exams,’ but I thought we wouldn’t have them in the first place… If [the administration] once said specifically no sit-down, 2-hour-long exams this year, then what [other changes] haven’t they told us about?”

Head of the Math Department Mr. Kanarek wishes to avoid frantic preparation for final exams and instead to strike a compromise between class time and larger assessments, hoping to incorporate “more cumulative reviews into chapter tests in order to synthesize connections between [textbook] chapters.” Another potential exam-scheduling idea, the one hour cumulative test, might be implemented in the Spring Term. Mr. Kanarek explains how although his “department has not decided yet on the type of spring exams,” they “hesitate” to make use any more than two periods at the end of the year, especially with an average of six lost periods in each department due to upcoming mini-terms.  It seems that busy Newark Academy calendars will best accomodate flexible end-of-year school exams.

The heads of some academic departments were not the only voices that pushed for Fall Exams: parents and alums also expressed concern.  Upper School Principal Dr.DiBianca explains how the “Academic Staff,” or the body consisting of himself, the Middle School Principal, the Dean of Faculty, the Dean of Students, the College Counselors, the Student Counselor, and the Head of School, made the decision to retain Fall Exams.  He recounts how along with suggestions from the heads of the departments, they “decided that it was important for future university students to have experience with exams” and how it is the faculty’s “responsibility to give kids a taste” of this.

Dr. DiBianca also reminds the community that Newark Academy students have been given a half-day prior to exams in an attempt to “relieve some of the pressure” that comes with cumulative assessments.  He still reiterates, however, that though he is personally “not a believer in excessive exams,” college preparatory schools must offer some sort of exam-taking experience.

Freshman Thomas Bernhardt supports having the day-consuming exams in the fall rather than the spring. He states frankly that “one less exam at the end of the year when final tests always [get] too crazy” should actually be appreciated.

Even with dissent from students regarding the exam date, one day of furious problem solving and essay writing should create less stress than the ten exam days the school once administered. With the announcement of its dedication towards a variety of assessments, the institution will continue to offer its students a taste of college-style test-taking supplemented by course-appropriate styles of learning. Students, meanwhile, hope that the new semester system will relieve stress, not create more of it, and that parents’ and recently graduated alumni’s opinions will not infringe too much on their daily lives.