![For the past three years, Parkway has administered high school finals after winter break, a practice that proves to be detrimental to the success as well as the mental health of students. With finals after break appearing to do more harm than good, the question of what changes can be made arises time and time again. “The pressure for finals is difficult, and to have that [pressure for] a few weeks because you're on [a] break can make you generally sad. It's a bummer in general. I wish [finals] were before break, so we [could] have a break to sleep, celebrate and not study. Everyone I've talked to about it is like 'yeah, finals sucks,' and I wish that wasn't a thing,” junior Meadow Kostial said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/decembereditorial-1200x963.jpg)
![Dr. Tiffany Besse presents at Principal Lab Day at Halls Ferry Intermediate School in February of 2020. Besse has worked in Francis Howell, Rockwood and Pattonville before joining Parkway. “One of the things that has always been a focus in my previous districts has been how do we keep pushing for those who are ready to move forward and then how do we grab the kiddos who might need a little bit more and how do we pull them along to get them where they deserve to [be]. So that is definitely some of the work that I would like to bring here and some of the equity work here [that] is already going on,” Besse said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/unnamed.jpg)
![Ready for action, the Parkway School Eats food truck prepares to serve students and staff. The food truck made its debut at Fern Ridge High School. “My biggest hope for the truck is that it serves as not [only] an inspirational tool for the district but also an educational one. If we can inspire students to learn more about small businesses, food service, hospitality, catering, or finances and educate them on the process, it will be a win-win for the district,” District Executive Chef Robert Grotha said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Image-900x675.jpeg)
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