Wish you could learn about the major happenings this week? Our weekly recaps are intended to give readers a brief overview of what they might have missed.

Midyears Ending:
Finally, after a week of stress and tests, the 2022 midyear exams have come to a close. The overall response to the midyears was mixed: some students appreciated the weekend break in-between the four days, while others struggled due to COVID-19-related absences and were frustrated about having to remain in testing rooms for the full 90 minutes.

Intersession Day and MLK Assembly:
Following the end of midyear exams, the high school gathered on Zoom for Intersession Day with the theme of “A Call to Action”. The day consisted of three parts: the first was a panel with activists from the Greater Boston area that were able to share their stories, the second featured an MLK assembly with singing, speeches, and a skit by Brookline Educational Theatre Company (BETCo) and the third was a club fair.

New Building Opened:
The new semester also meant a new building for the Class of 2025. 22 Tappan Street, which has been under construction since 2019. Its design resembles that of the new STEM wing. Some highlights include random chairs scattered throughout the building and a functioning deli.

SAT going Virtual:
The College Board recently announced that in 2024 the SAT test will be transitioning to a virtual format. It will be shorter and administered online.

“The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,” Priscilla Rodriguez, Vice President of College Readiness Assessments at the College Board, said in a news release. Changes include a shorter testing time, more time to answer questions, shorter reading passages and all calculators will be allowed for all math questions.

Wordle:
The new, simple yet extremely stressful word game has quickly risen to fame. The game created by James Wardle has gone from 90 players in Nov. 2021 to over two million this past month. The gray, yellow and green squares live rent-free in many minds.

Blizzard:
With six inches already on the ground and many more to come, the historic blizzard has taken Massachusetts by storm. Sources expect the total snowfall to be 30 inches in some places. Whatever the final count may be, the storm is expected to continue on into the night.

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia Increase:
As the Russia and Ukraine conflict continues, President Joe Biden announced that U.S. intelligence expects Russia to take military action and plans to deploy American troops into Eastern Europe allies.

Justice Stephen Breyer Retires:
Justice Stephen Breyer announced that he would be ending his 28-year tenure on the Supreme Court in a letter to the President on Thursday, Jan. 27. His retirement will take place during the next recess in June or July of 2022. Biden said his replacement will be a black, female justice, the first in the Court’s history.

“Our process is going to be rigorous. I will select a nominee worthy of Justice Breyer’s legacy of excellence and decency. While I’ve been studying candidates’ backgrounds and writings, I’ve made no decision except one: the person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience, and integrity, and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court,” Biden said.