It is only a couple of weeks into the new school year, and the students and faculty of Nashua High School South are already conflicted about the new competency-based grading system.

Because of state requirements, schools in New Hampshire are transitioning to a grading system wherein students receive an overall grade along with scores for individual skills. Students need to meet at least a C minus in all of the class competencies to get credit for the class.

So-called summative tasks – tests and other major evaluations of knowledge – will be worth 80 percent to 100 percent of a student’s grade. Formative tasks – homework, classwork and other assignments that students use to learn subject material – often won’t count at all.

The system allows students to "recover" competencies, as well as their summative assessments, if they aren’t satisfied with their grade.

NHSS has transitioned to using this new grading system, and there are mixed opinions on the matter. Many of the students asked about competencies did not have a positive reaction.

"We should have started this system in kindergarten so they don’t have to change their entire way of thinking like we had to," sophomore Mikayla Colburn said.

Junior Chris Guarino said, "The addition of all these new categories to grade makes it confusing. The old system was easier for me to understand and work with because it’s what I have been using."

Two South guidance counselors said they weren’t ready to talk about competencies because they were "still learning." They suggested talking to teachers.

Principal Keith Richard said he wasn’t surprised that the South staff is still learning the ropes.

"They have been part of the conversations," Richard said.

He said the guidance counselors’ response may stem from the fact that guidance counselors aren’t using the competency system as directly as teachers are.

When asked about the recovery plans in the new system, English teacher Joel Iwaskiewicz said, "It’s complicated. The recovery plan has its value if you think of it as revision, not if people are always banking on having a second chance."

Another teacher, who asked not to be named, said, "I hate them. They make kids study less and hand things in late."

"I’m glad to see the D vanish," Iwaskiewicz said.

Richard and Superintendent Mark Conrad agreed that getting rid of the D was a good decision, and that students graduating with a majority of their grades being below a C minus do not have the basic understanding they need to move forward.

"When you graduate from NHSS, it should mean you have the skills to succeed," Conrad said.

Alvirne High School also is implementing a competency system.

"Students will benefit from this change," Alvirne Principal Steve Beals said, "because teaching and learning can be enhanced without a specific time clock or numerical averaging."

Pinkerton Academy’s dean of academic affairs, Chris Harper, said, "It should help students to master the content, which means the student’s final course average should improve."

Nashua Community College academic adviser Pat Klein said the competency grading system could help and harm certain students.

"Having multiple opportunities to complete assessments can be beneficial to those who don’t test well," Klein said.

Alyssa Gillen and Hailee Whitesel are juniors at Nashua High School South.