Certain Johnston High School students will soon take some serious standardized tests in a few weeks, and an informational night for parents to ask questions is planned at the school on Wednesday, March 28 at 6 p.m.
According to Principal Dennis Morrell and Guidance Department Chairperson Debbie Licciardi, on Tuesday, April 10, tenth and eleventh grade students will participate in SAT School Day. All tenth grade students will take the PSAT, while all juniors will take the SAT-the widely used college admission test. Licciardi said that the state is paying for each student’s test fees as part of a state assessment this year.
“The state is using this instead of the PARCC assessment and the NECAP that we used to use. So this is the state’s way of assessing where our students are in comparison to other high schools,” explained Morrell. “All high schools in the state are doing this.”
The SAT School Day will be an all-day testing event, where more than 450 kids will be spread throughout the school’s classrooms to take their respective exams. There will be no school for freshmen and seniors that day.
The Wednesday, March 28 informational night will take place in the school’s auditorium. Morrell said that an email and an all-call will be sent out to parents informing them of the 6 p.m. session.
“We want to invite parents here to the auditorium so they hear it from us what the details are, why we’re doing it, what’s the reason behind it, and what the children can expect,” said Morrell. “We will go through the entire school day for them.”
Thursday, March 29 is a professional development day for teachers so there will be no school for students, and Good Friday (March 30) is a school holiday.
During the professional development day, Morrell said that teachers will be trained for the SAT and PSAT exams, as the College Board, the not-for-profit organization that administers the tests, is very stringent with their rules.
“The College Board is very strict. It’s four hours and fifty-four minutes for SATs. We have to start at a certain time and we get scheduled breaks,” said Morrell. “They direct us that desks must be four feet apart, facing the same way, 20 in a class. It’s a monumental task to organize.”
The school is looking into providing healthy snacks and bottled water for the students during the tests as they won’t be allowed to break for lunch.
“Debbie Licciardi is really running the show and English teacher Susan Volante has been assisting with all of the planning because it is extremely involved,” said Morrell, who is also assisting with test scheduling.
Approximately 23,000 students across the state will take part in similar testing this year.
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