Students finish their week up at Medicine Hat High School. (Photo Courtesy Kevin Kyle)

By Gates Guarin

Students eager for the holidays as they complete their fall semester

Dec 16, 2022 | 4:43 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat students and staff are counting down the days until the holidays.

Schools returned to a more traditional start to their school years this past September, and students are reflecting on the highs and the lows before heading into their break and prepping for their exams.

“The first few months of this year have been pretty good, they’ve been a little bit back to normal which is pretty nice, considering we don’t have to wear masks or anything like that,” says Grace Jacobs, a grade 12 student at Medicine Hat High School.

Jacobs also described one of the biggest challenges returning to this new normal.

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“Going from quarter systems to semesters because rather than having two classes, we’re having three or four on top of each other, and if you have all core subjects, it’s definitely hard.”

Hannah Kozakewich, another grade 12 student at Hat High, says she feels like the pandemic has not given her the full experience of high school, but adds her support system plays a big part in her preparedness.

“I do feel slightly behind in the speed of learning and the expectations from junior high when COVID started to now, but I think that my teachers are really taking that into consideration and helping us out.” Kozakewich says.

During the use of the quarter system, the public school division says it saw higher tests scores across other school boards across the province. Superintendent Mark Davidson says he does not want to lose the best parts of the quarter system as the school division transitions back to the semester system.

“We’re learning from a set of experiences that had us suddenly move to one way of being, and now suddenly transitioned back,” Davidson says. “What we have to do is make sure we don’t lose what we learned in the quarter system, so there will be a little time, some conversations in order to figure out what’s the right blend.”

“Just soak it all in like, appreciate all the moments and go to every event that comes with high school.” _{-Hannah Kozakewich, Grade 12 Student}

Grade 11 student Alex Baird says support from his teachers coupled with dedicated peer support time has helped him during the school year.

“I think they’ve been helping us out a lot like, very well because I think we’re one of the few schools, if not the only that has student support, so we’re able to come in early and work on for me, math so I can up my grade and study more.”

In the meantime, students are looking forward to some much needed time off before the stress of exams sets in during the new year.

“Going on vacation with my family, looking forward to that, and just spending time with the people I care about most, and taking away some stress from school, getting a bit of a break.” Jacobs says.

“Definitely a break from school, just being able to sit at home, eat food and lay down.” Baird adds.

Kozakewich says shes going to use her final semester to really experience what high was meant to be.

“Just soak it all in like, appreciate all the moments and go to every event that comes with high school.”