WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield-Marenisco School teachers and students are getting ready for annual state testing. Students will take grade-specific state tests during testing windows, which are scheduled from now through the end of May.
The teaching staff worked together at an in-service earlier this year to create an action plan which would help to reduce student anxiety over state testing and ultimately increase state test scores for the district. Some of the activities the teaching staff came up with were serving healthy breakfasts at school, posting testing tips on the school website, decorating classroom doors with motivational testing strategies, and students creating motivational posters to help other students get ready for testing.
In addition, the PTO will reimburse classroom teachers for the purchase of healthy snacks for students prior to testing. The goal this year is to help the students to understand that the state testing results have an impact on not only the student, but also on the school and the community.
The focus on preparing for state testing also creates an atmosphere where students realize that all students in the school are on this voyage together. Parents and caregivers can also help students to prepare for state testing by encouraging their child to do their best on the test, ensuring the student gets plenty of rest the night before the test, and making sure the student has a healthy breakfast on the days they are testing.