City schools set no exemption' exam procedure

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
Feb. 28, 2003
Junior and senior high students in Meridian public schools will have to take final exams under a new "no exemption" procedure that becomes effective July 1.
The procedure replaces a current one in which students could be exempted from final exams if they had near-perfect attendance and maintain A, B or C averages.
The new procedure comes almost a year after Kate Griffin Junior High School Principal Phillip Daniels exempted students from final exams if they had at least a passing grade average. Daniels also directed teachers to give students who took an exam not less than a minimum passing grade of 70.
Daniels said Kate Griffin students were exempted from exams last year because of end of the school year scheduling conflicts.
The new procedure applies to students at Meridian High School, Kate Griffin and Northwest Junior High School.
McLin also said the current procedure was put in place as an incentive for students to attend class. "It might have worked in the past, but we think learning and preparing for the exam is a good learning experience.
McLin said the procedure will take effect next school year because administrators do not like to change procedures in the middle of the school year.
School Board Vice-President Ed Lynch said he agreed with the decision to change the exemption procedure.