7Chapter 2 - The Chart
All of the other students were chatting along until Steve Barkin appeared at the podium. He was in his usual gruff demeanor.
"Alright, students, settle down!" he exclaimed through the microphone. All of the students sat down at attention and quieted down their chatter.
"Now...the district counselor from the MUSD would've been here to explain why you seniors are here except that he went to the hospital for an unexplained increase in flatulence. So I will be taking his speaking spot for today." Barkin explained, as per the tradition of why the regular teacher wasn't here.
"He's probably ate one too many tacos at Bueno Nacho!" Ron Reeger, the class clown and head of the Daily Bone student newspaper, laughed. The other seniors laughed in a chorus. Ron, however, was annoyed by the comment.
"That never happened to me at BN!" he huffed, angrily staring at Reeger.
"Must I remind you of that time three weeks ago..." Kim said before Ron interrupted.
"Don't bring up that dark day, KP!"
"Reeger, will you PLEASE quiet your funny bones?!" Barkin exclaimed through the microphone. It created such a feedback sound that irritated the ears of the audience. Kim, Ron and Monique all covered their ears. "You are all probably wondering why you are all here this afternoon." Barkin said in a much calmer voice.
"Is it becuase we need to go to the ear doctors to get our hearing aids?" Tara asked while still covering her ears.
"No, Queen." Barkin replied.
"Is it when we finally get to know what is in the mystery meat?" Ron asked in the back.
"Ron, must you get graphic?!" Kim exclaimed. She absolutely did NOT want to know what is in the mystery meat until they graduated...from college.
"That is a double no to you, Stoppable." Barkin replied, shooting down Ron's question as if it were a clay pigeon.
He then sighed, saying through the mic, "The real reason why I called this assembly for you seniors is that the school board has required me to tell you that a good majority of you seniors are exempt from doing final exams!"
The students, upon hearing this, exploded in cheers.
"But...the school board has also required me to present to you...the chart!" Barkin exclaimed as he snapped his fingers.
Two of the junior students wheeled in the chart.
Whispers of... "Oooo! The chart!" were uttered. Kim, Ron, and Monique were curious.
The chart was assembled in the shape of a pyramid with colors that went down from green to red.
"This is the chart that the MUSD relies upon for seniors that are on the very verge of graduating." Barkin explained. "Here is how the chart works: The dark green represents the very top of the students, who have maintained overall A grades all year, and maintain less than 10 detentions this entire school year, two or fewer unexcused absences, and no in-school suspensions. are exempt from final exams. As for the light green, those are students that have mantained B grades and the same behavioral conditions as the A students are also exempt from exams!"
All the A and B senior students present, which included Felix, Zita, Tara, Kim and Monique all cheered on the fact that they were not going to take any finals. Ron, however, looked worried.
"As for the yellow students, these are your average C makers that do not wield any D's or F's on their courses. If they meet the same behaviorial conditionals, then they do not have to take any finals." Barkin explained, pointing to the part of the chart with yellow on it. He then pointed to another part that has orange on it.
"For those C students that DO have a D or F in their course that affects their average, then they HAVE to take the exam in that course, no questions asked." he continued, especially glaring his eyes at Ron.
Barkin then pointed at the red section. "The red section are the D's that have behaviorial problem and issued and have to take their exams if they are to walk across the stage."
And lastly, he pointed to the Maroon stage, "And the maroon section are the F's, the failures, the lost causes! The type of people who are going to work at the Cow N' Chow and at Smarty-Mart for the next 40 miserable years of their life!"
Then, Ron raised his hand.
Barkin sighed, "What is it now, Stoppable?"
"Mr. B, don't you usually work AT Smarty-Mart with me?" the blonde countered.
"Yes...but that is for some extra money for the salary, Stoppable." Barkin replied to Ron's statement, "It has nothing to do with grades."
The oft-sub teacher then continued, "Your grades will be posted at the middle part of next week. It will determine either the enjoying bliss of no exams on the final week of school or taking them in...H-Hall!"
Barkin said that last part where the at-risk students would be taking in a dramatic voice.
"OH NO!" Ron shouted "NOT H-HALL!"
He imagined that particular part of the school, surrounded by barbed wire and with a watchtower. Thunder and lightning illuminated it. This was where the detention students and in-school suspension students were housed.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" the blonde continued to scream in terror. The other seniors looked curiously in bewilderment at the football star screaming at the prospect of taking exams in the detention place.
Rufus, meanwhile, covered his ears.
"Ron, would you please amp down!" Kim exclaimed to her BFBF.
"But, KP!" Ron replied, panicking, "What if I..."
"Can you please hold your screaming until the end of the assembly?" Kim asked for Ron's silence.
"Okay..."
"As I was saying, next week will determine your fate in the final exams. If you want to know which grades you are struggling in, you can consult with our senior student counselors in the office area sometime later on next week." Barkin explained.
Ron gulped hard. He never had a good experience with counselors.
(Freshman Year)
"Stoppable will never make it!" said one counselor, "He should be sent to military school to teach about discipline."
"Stoppable! Stop playing around with my candy!" exclaimed a second.
"Stoppable! Stop doing wheelies in my chair!" shouted a third.