Due a week earlier than junior and underclassman grades, senior grades need to be finalized by this Monday at 4 p.m. to determine rank and everybody is on target to walk across the stage on the 21st.

“The senior deadline is a little more stressful than regular deadlines because we still have to have the same number of graded assignments,” science teacher Kristen Newton said. “So like in my anatomy class I have a week less to get 6 minor grades and two major grades finished and graded.”

Pre-planning of the year by teachers is a vital role in accomplishing this deadline.

“Turning in senior grades early is actually a long-term strategy because I have to verify that I have enough assignments scheduled before the actual due date,” on-level Statistics and AP Algebra 2 teacher Kourtney Smith said. “I have to know I’ve left myself time to grade those assignments and cushion for students who turn stuff in late.”

Turning in grades early can be stressful for both teachers and students, but allows for early relief from school and assignments.

“I love it because it makes me think strategically on how I’m going to meet that deadline and I also like it because it allows seniors to really just get that overall feeling of being done,” Smith said.

Classes with mixed grade-level students typically follow the same senior deadline in order to give everyone the same opportunity to finish an assignment.

“In my case, I try to keep everyone on the same grading timeline when I have a class of mixed grade-level students,” Newton said. “I’m not super comfortable with the idea of giving a sophomore more time to do an assignment than a senior who is in the same class.”

Teachers who teach lower-level classes additional to their senior-level courses are able to spend more time with lower-class students when it is time to finalize their grades.

“Once I turn in senior grades I am now able to focus on my other three classes and cleaning up their gradebook, grading their final assessment,” Smith said. “It definitely relieves some of that pressure at the end of the school year.”

Finishing grades two weeks before the school year is over, teachers have to fill the time.

“It’s really hard having so long after grades are due with no assignments to work on,” Floral Design teacher Brittany Avant said. “We’re just doing small projects now.”

Final grades for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students aren’t due until 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17th.