Rescheduled PSAT testing (9-11th grades)Seniors post-secondary "catch-up" day

What

Rescheduled PSAT testing (9-11th grades)Seniors post-secondary "catch-up" day

When

11/19/2019

Dear Viking Parents and Friends,

I know that we all took a collective sigh of relief when we learned that the strike was over and that teachers would be returning to school. I know this experience was very VERY hard for the students and for the parents. I want to assure you that I read every note I received from concerned parents and students and worked with my admin team to create appropriate an appropriate response, even if the response is unknown to you.

I know that many people are concerned about the impact of having missed two weeks of instruction and how this will impact 1^st quarter grades. Once again, let me reassure you that the grades that will be reflected on a student’s November 14 report card are merely a reflection of progress and are not permanently posted in any document of the student’s record. We have another 10 weeks of instruction before the permanent semester grades are entered, and teachers know that they are to afford students every opportunity to demonstrate skill acquisition. Administration has encouraged teachers to set aside time for student conferencing and to schedule “Redemption Days,” which is time for students to use class time to work on missed assignments or concepts with which they are struggling. The after-school tutoring schedule will be included in this newsletter, and we expect additional tutoring services to kick-in from our DEY partners.

We were also concerned about 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th graders missing the October administration of the PSAT/NMSQT. That administration provides students and staff with a great deal of information that can be used to design instructional experiences that close gaps revealed by the test. We were also concerned that students would miss out on scholarship opportunities that are afforded to 11^th grade students who perform exceptionally well on the test. I have good news on both fronts.

• College Board has assured us that students’ scores on the April SAT assessment will be considered when allocating scholarship opportunities.
• Also, this morning, Amundsen contracted with Academic Approach, an educational test prep company that will provide us with materials for 10^th and 11^th graders so that we can implement a practice PSAT test and receive highly detailed and individualized student results.
• All 10^th and 11^th grade students’ Khan accounts and practice tasks are connected to their results from last Spring’s assessments.
• 9^th graders will take the original version of the 8-9 PSAT and receive scores and individualized analysis directly from College Board. The results from this implementation will be uploaded to their Khan accounts.
• We have rescheduled the 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th grade assessments for November 19. (12^TH GRADE STUDENTS MUST REPORT TO SCHOOL ON NOVEMBER 19 TO COMPLETE POST-SECONDARY GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS!)
•  As in years past, we will offer PSAT and SAT “Boot Camp” test prep sessions, but will only have a limited number of seats.

Along with a strong instructional experience, we believe that the plan we have outlined will ensure the best results during the high-stakes implementation in the Spring.