Beginning April 22nd, AHS students now have the option to switch their classes to pass/fail grading. The grading change is in response to AHS students having to do online school because of the Pitkin County COVID-19 Stay-At-Home order. This change in grading has been done in many high schools and colleges across the nation as well.

AHS students can apply to switch to pass/fail classes through the counseling office\; however, students will have to switch all their classes, rather than individual classes they are struggling in.

AHS senior, Avery Hirsh, feels that the option to switch to pass/fail classes would be beneficial to the student body.

“I would switch my classes to pass/fail,” Hirsch said. “The current course load is fine, it’s just the fact that I have no motivation since I’m in the setting of my home.”

AHS junior and IB Diploma student, Tilly Swanson, also feels that learning from home with an already taxing course load is burdensome.

“I think pass/fail classes would greatly help relieve stress,” Swanson said.

The option to choose pass/fail grading was instituted in order to help kids who are struggling at this time. The COVID-19 situation has put many families and students in difficult positions, and AHS wanted to help those students out. AHS Principal, Tharyn Mulberry, thinks that the new system can help struggling students.

“I heard from multiple kids who were really having struggles and needed to have some cushion with this pass/fail system,” Mulberry said. “Rather than trying to figure out which kids are having issues, they could just choose on their own how they would like to do this.”

Although some students feel that pass/fail grading would benefit them and their stress in the new online learning system, there is concern over whether or not this grading system will cause students to lose the incentive to put effort into assignments.

AHS junior, Henry Palmaz, is concerned about how a pass/fail system would impact his motivation to do well in school.
“I do think my workload in some classes would fit a pass/fail system. That being said, I think that a pass/fail system would make my effort and motivation decline,” Palmaz said.

Even though there is a concern of GPAs not rising or loss of motivation, students will be able to decide if pass/fail grading is the right decision for them. Grades will default to the normal system otherwise. The new grading option will serve as a safety net for students who are facing other difficulties than school during this time.
“I think this was a really nice gift from us,” Mulberry said.