Although it is only the end of October, it is a very nerve-wracking, but exciting day for the students at Padua Academy. At Padua Academy, there are two semesters. Each semester is divided into two quarters, making four quarters for the whole school year. On October 30th, the first quarter of the 2013-2014 school year officially ended. With report cards being posted on NetClassroom on November 8th, many students are anxious to see their first averages to kick off the new school year. The first quarter may have seemed like days of introduction, but that was just to prepare the students for the new school year.Their teachers managed to give them plenty of homework, quizzes, tests, and projects to help their averages.

Padua Academy Freshman, Arabia Banks, said, “I think the first quarter is just as important as the other three because it is also used to determine if you are exempt from final exams along with the other three quarters. Yes, it is very important.”

While comparing Padua Academy to her middle school, she shared how her middle school didn’t have quarters during the school year, but trimesters. Although she had trimesters last year, she prefers to have quarters because, “It is easier to raise your grade and in the trimester, it is harder to bring your grade back up if you are not doing very well.”

Although many students may find the first quarter stressful, it is just a sign that the new school year is just starting. Students still have plenty of chances to raise their grade in the future, as well as meet with teachers for help. The end of the first quarter has marked the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.