Wrap Up Days 

By: Alice Brown and Anna Cotterill

Date: 1/30/26

As we near the end of the semester, Montpelier High School’s wrap up days are coming closer. The last two days of both the first and second semester exist as “wrap up” days for students to make up any work that is missing, retake summatives or any other tests in a class for that semester.

 If a student has a grade below a 2.5, below passing, they are automatically called in to that class period to work. Not every school has a system that allows students to have one last shot at raising a grade, and this is why many students value and utilize wrap up days. 

“They are really helpful, you can fix any grade you aren’t happy about, make revisions, and reorganize and recheck schoolwork,” said sophomore Elena Guadagno.

However, it’s a very different perspective for the teachers. They have to prepare retakes, make up assignments, as well as gear up for semester two. 

“There is always a need to have lots of different assignments prepared for different students. There is also a lot of pressure to not only grade retakes but prepare materials for the new semester,” said science teacher Ms. Chabot. 

Each teacher has slightly different rules around retake days. Some teachers only have you come in if you have less than a 3.0 grade in their class. Others say you can come in and retake any grade you aren’t happy with.

But MHS didn’t always have wrap up days.

In 2015, the grading system changed to the current proficiency-based grading system. Semester one ended with midterms, while semester two ended with final exams for all classes. This system was intended to model the cumulative exams that are used at the college level. 

Wrap up days provide an opportunity and structure for MHS students that allows students one last chance to raise a grade in a class, or get final assignments in before the end of the semester.