Last semester, students were calculating what they would need to score on their finals in order to pass that class. Some may have squeaked by, while others were slapped in the face with defeat. Students on the brink of passing were offered the chance to complete a course extension, an extra month to pull their grade up to passing. This may be some students saving grace, but others see this extension as unfair.  

Course extension is only offered in classes that students are required to pass in order to graduate. Students with a 65 to a 69 are eligible for course extension. Classes include: all literature and composition classes, U.S. history, economics, biology, geometry and both algebra 1 and 2 but are not offered to honors or advanced placement classes.  

“I like that people who maybe only messed up one time now get the new opportunity to fix that one mistake and then they’re ready to move on to the next course,” Jennifer Henderson, algebra teacher, said.  

Some students are grateful for the extension as it saves them time to pass the class now, rather than having to enroll in summer school. Students completing the course extension can only earn up to a 70 in the class.  

“Course extension has helped me a lot with my grammar and writing compare/contrast essays,” Michael Kelly, senior, said.  

Other students see the opportunity for course extension as unjust. Students enrolled in those same classes, and who passed the first time, would have also appreciated the chance to further up their grade, thus increasing their GPA.  

“I think it [course extension] is unfair because most students who receive course extension are failing a class because they are lazy. Also, it’s an unfair advantage. Why couldn’t it be offered to those who want to boost their grade from an 88 to a 90  – it’s the same concept as letting a student who has a 68 pass the class,” Connor Fisher, sophomore, said.  

Continuing the same trend as last year, course extension will be offered again to students who failed the second semester of any of these core classes in the spring.