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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">We still do semester exemption, but they are only exempt from taking the test, not school. They have to come to school and some teachers require them to take
the test regardless--if it hurts their grade, they do not count it. We have our coach in the auditorium running a movie for students that are exempt for that hour. It is not perfect, but it is still an incentive to attend and do your best just so you won't
have to study for the test.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">I know the previous school I taught at used the same format as you Cindy for testing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tammie Breeden, M.Ed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">School Counselor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Academy Elementary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">We did away with it and it greatly hurt our attendance. We used to have great attendance as students would do everything possible to stay in school to avoid
having to take semester tests. It offered an incentive. It has made a huge difference in that attendance problems were not even on our list of concerns in the past, whereas now it is an everyday problem and students often seem to try to use up every one of
their absences like they are vacation/sick days. As far as cumulative tests, teachers have other cumulative tests such as unit tests which they can use to practice study skills for college.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">We have a similar policy, and it improved attendance GREATLY!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">Cashion's policy is similar to Kingfisher's except the student can choose which semester to be exempt for each class but they cannot be exempt for both. This
way they can still be rewarded for good grades and attendance but still have a comprehensive final to prepare for in each class.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">Amy Broadbent<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">Cashion High School Counselor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">405-433-2575<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><a href="mailto:abroadbent@cashionps.org">abroadbent@cashionps.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">We did away with ours a couple of years ago. It may effect attendance some but not that much to make it a benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kay Gilchrist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">PreK-12 Counselor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Deer Creek- Lamont Public Schools<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Lamont, OK 73646<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">We did away with our semester test exemption this year, due to the fact those days have to be counted against the students. It hasn’t increased our absences.
Pretty much the students with chronic absences last year were the same ones who had them again this year.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">Mattie McClenny<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">Hugo High School<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">We also do the semester test exemptions. Our policy is as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Exemptions for final exams are based on attendance, grades, and discipline records. All parent excused, unexcused, and documented absences count towards semester test exemption
status. Activity absences are the only absences that will not affect semester test exemption status. To be exempt from taking semester exams, a student must have an "A" average with no more than 5 excused absences or a "B" average with no more than 4 excused<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">absences, no discipline record, or excessive tardies (5 tardies = 1 absence). Students who qualify must have completed the exemption process by obtaining required signatures
from teachers, parents, and administrators prior to test day. Once the process is complete, the exemption form must be turned into the attendance office for a student to be placed on the exemption list. Students are not allowed to leave campus multiple times
during the day even if his/her exempted testing hours do not run consecutively. Once a student has arrived at school, student must be present in all assigned classes. Classes will not be interrupted during testing by school staff and student will not be
called out of class to<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">leave once the testing period begins. Student who are disruptive on test days may lose exemption status."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">I also wanted to share with you that during our professional development at the beginning of this semester, we had a panel of recent (high school) graduates come in to do a
question/answer session with us. We had done this panel last January as well with a different set of recent grads. In both sessions, students that had gone on to college/university shared with us that they wish they had experienced finals while in high school
because they had a difficult time with finals and how to prepare for them in their first semester of college. When asked if they would have been willing to give up their test exemptions while they were in high school though, they all said no way. LOL.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">*Sally Randolph*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Counselor, A-J<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">*Skiatook High School*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Skiatook, OK<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">918.396.1790 Ext 2409<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">*"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">Our middle school has an exemption policy as well. The teachers and students like getting out of the semester test and it does encourage attendance. Students
must have:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">A-2 or fewer absences<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">B-1 or no absences<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">C-no absences<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#002060">Our high school has a similar policy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ours at Buffalo is the same as yours. We struggle with it as well. Students who are always exempt end up never taking a comprehensive exam, and they need to know how to study
for and take those if going to college. On the<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">other hand, we have pretty good attendance rates and feel like the exemption option contributes to that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Kingfisher switched its policy last year. First semester, there are no exemptions for anyone. Our administration feels that students need to take at least one
cumulative test in high school before they get to college, and sometimes, excellent students will go all through high school being exempt from exams, then get to college having never taken a cumulative test. This is our second year to do it and it has been
successful. During second semester, our exemption policy is as follows: Anyone with four (4) or fewer absences who has an A, B, or C in a class is exempt. Those who have been in ISD or OSD are not exempt. Three tardies in any class equals one unexcused absence.
We haven't really noticed an effect in attendance in either semester---the ones who miss a lot of school will miss no matter what.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#C00000"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#C00000">QUESTION:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#C00000">We are reconsidering our semester test exemption policy. We currently allow students to be exempt based on a limited number of absences and good grades (an A with less than 4 absences, B with less than 3, etc.)
We are considering doing away with this policy but are concerned about how it will effect attendance.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#C00000">Do any other high schools have semester test exemptions and what is your policy? <br clear="all">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:#C00000">Cindy Bartley</span><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:#C00000">Counselor</span><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:#C00000">Shawnee High School</span><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:#C00000">1001 North Kennedy</span><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:#C00000">Shawnee, OK 74804</span><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:#C00000">(405)275-3631; fax (405)275-9501</span><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:#C00000"><a href="mailto:cbartley@shawnee.k12.ok.us" target="_blank"><span style="color:#C00000">cbartley@shawnee.k12.ok.us</span></a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://teacherweb.com/OK/ShawneeHighSchool/Bartley/newsflash.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color:#C00000">Class of 2017 website</span></a></span><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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