By ANNALYN JAMES
Moapa Valley Progress
Students at Grant Bowler and Ute Perkins Elementary schools have been hard at work over the past week taking the Clark County School District standardized exams, called the Criterion Referenced Tests (CRT). Through these tests, the district evaluates the effectiveness of its schools. The test results are used to formulate the school’s report card to the district. Because of this, everyone involved desires the best possible outcome. A lot of effort is done in the schools to prepare students to do their best.
Perkins Principal Mary Scialabba explained how her school prepares students for the testing.
“Teachers work with students all year through good instruction,” Scialabba said. “The students are given rigorous math and reading instruction and practice throughout the school year. Everyone at Perkins pulls together as a team to make the best possible testing environment.”
Scialabba said that students are encouraged to get adequate rest and eat a healthy breakfast on testing days. Then while students are testing, school staff makes sure that the kids have a quiet testing environment.
Perkins must be doing things right because they are ranked as a four-star elementary school.
Grant Bowler Elementary has been actively seeking to improve its ranking in past years and has met with some success.
“It is important that students do their best on the CRT tests,” said Bowler Principal Shawna Jessen. “We want the kids to feel positive about how they perform, so we have formed a committee to help the students prepare for testing. We don’t want them to be nervous or anxious about the tests but to feel prepared and excited to show what they know!”
Jessen explained that the tests are useful to schools because they can see areas of strengths and weaknesses.
“We can see where the holes are and can then seek to improve them,” she said. “Our teachers are proud of what they have achieved in their classrooms this year!”
Bowler 5th grade teacher Stephanie Newman headed the CRT Preparedness committee. Committee members prepared posters to line the halls with helpful testing tips and encouraging messages like, “Just Do Your Best!” and “When nervous, take a deep breath.” Room parents served snacks on testing days provided by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization.
To get things off on the right foot, Bowler students attended a special CRT kickoff assembly on Monday, April 21. Newman had written a fun short skit based on the book Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Several teachers performed hilarious characters.
Newman said that she wanted to alleviate nervousness and make the event exciting; not something to be dreaded. The skit gave the students funny examples of how not to take the tests.
On Wednesday students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade ran through the MVHS spirit tunnel to enter the school amidst cheering from the younger students who lined the halls.
