Anxiety levels rose for Seminole Connect students when they were told they had to go back on campus to take common nine weeks exams. But, Seminole County changed their policy ,and now all Seminole Connect students will quarter one exams at home. All Connect students in English I, English II, Algebra I, Geometry, and United States History will be taking their exams virtually. 

Common nine weeks exams are taken the week of Oct. 5-9 During each exam, all Connect students will be required to have a working webcam so they can be monitored by a proctor while testing.

“If students do not have a working webcam they may use a mobile device as their camera by connecting via WebEx.  If that is not a possibility then the student will need to schedule to come in and take the exam with me,” assistant principal Jesse Walker said.

Before the shift to online exams, many were worried about how Connect students would test alongside Face-to-Face students. 

“This change was largely due to parent concern over students with underlying conditions, and pay and availability of school staff to conduct testing sessions after hours,” Walker said.

Connect students had mixed emotions about the new change to how they will take their exams. Seminole Connect student Sabrina Valentin was bummed she did not get to come onto campus to see her friends that are Face-to-Face. Valentin acknowledges there are benefits to the format and staying home to take her exams. 

“I am also somewhat relieved because taking them at home gives me maybe a day longer to study and prepare for the exams,” Valentin said. 

Teachers are working to prepare their students for their exams in the same way they would during a normal school year. Geometry teacher Lois Arp works hard to make sure both groups of her students are prepared for their exams.

“The Seminole Connect students complete exactly the same things as Face-to-Face students.  All my students will be as prepared as possible,” Arp said.