IOWA Assessments - September 18th through 22nd

Next week, our students in 3rd through 8th grade will be participating in annual standardized testing. We in the school office would like to offer our prayers and support to all of our testing prairie dogs. Here are some dos & don'ts for a successful week!

All the dos...

DO have a nutritious breakfast & get plenty of sleep. Teachers say the students who struggle the most on testing days are the ones who didn't have enough sleep or a good breakfast the day of the test.
DO relax & remain positive. The best test-takers are confident, committed, and at ease. Remember, Harvard is not on the line here! If your child is feeling extra pressure or anxiety about test taking, make sure they are communicating with their teacher.
DO pack a nutritious snack. Now is not the time for sugar-laden fruit-ish-shaped snacks. Look for protein in whole fruit, bars, nuts, and seeds.

All the do nots...

DO NOT be late for school. As far as I know, none of our students are driving themselves here! Set your kid up for success from the get-go by letting them have a relaxed and confident start to their testing days instead of a frantic, hurried one where you didn't even stop the car in the drop-off line, and they had to run up three flights of stairs.
DO NOT schedule an appointment during the school day next week. Now is your chance to reschedule the orthodontist! The distraction and disruption caused by students coming & going - not to mention the call over the speaker from the office - is unfair to others concentrating in the classroom. Think of your kiddo, too, they will have to start and stop multiple times to accommodate any appointment during testing.
DO NOT leave school early. For all the reasons above, and if missed testing needs to be made up the following week, your kiddo will likely miss valuable instruction time and be even further behind. No bueno!