As the first marking period swiftly approaches its end, as does the first marking period with the newest policy regarding Genesis: the closing of the gradebooks during school. What was initially very problematic and difficult to adjust to has now become the norm for students at Bernards High School, whether they are in support of the policy or not.

However, students are not the only individuals who have been impacted by this change so far, but parents as well as teachers have been as well. Parents, much like their kids, no longer are able to monitor their children’s grades through Genesis during the school day. 

Since teachers are still able to handle grading responsibilities during school hours, the policy change has not created much of an impact on their daily routines. 

Mr. O’Brien, a math teacher at Bernards High School said he has “not had a notable change to [his] day to day routine in light of the new policy.” O’Brien, however, has noticed a distinct shift around his classroom, saying that the “new gradebook policy has been helpful to student stress levels.” 

The closing of the gradebook has also led to many beneficial effects, including a decrease in student focus on grades while in class. The closing of the gradebook during school hours has prevented students from focusing on their past grades in the middle of class, distracting them from learning what is in front of them.

“Having instant access to grades distracted students from their learning and created an unhealthy obsession with results rather than process and progress” O’Brien says. 

In theory the closing of the gradebook was meant to help to reduce student stress levels throughout the school day, separating grade results from actual learning time. However, many students have felt the opposite effect so far as they await to see their grades after school hours. 

Charlie Quinn, a Junior at Bernards High School said “Counting down the minutes to 2:41 when you can open your phone and check a grade has only increased my stress regarding my grades”. 

While the general consensus regarding the genesis restriction will continue to fluctuate, the policy is here to stay, as students, parents, and teachers alike will need to continue to adapt to the new way the gradebook works at Bernards High School.