As we flip the calendars to the month of May, our eyes turn towards state and local assessments. While some may find this to time of year to be stressful, we find it to be an exciting time for our students to showcase the skills and knowledge they have acquired throughout the year. Over the next few weeks, students in grades 3 - 8 will be engaging in the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) for ELA and Math. Students in grades 5 & 8 will also be assessed in Science.
In the knowledge that that these assessments measure a student's proficiency with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) in these content areas, our staff has been working tirelessly to provide students with the core content knowledge, critical thinking skills and problem solving strategies that they need to confidently engage with these assessments.
Families often ask us how they can support their child at home and prepare them for state assessments. Here is what we recommend:
- Be sure your child gets a good night sleep leading up to the assessment days. Being overtired can make it difficult for one to focus;
- If you can, be sure your child has a hearty and healthy breakfast on the days of testing, it is essential to "feed the brain" so it is fueled and prepared to think;
- Allow you child to wear comfortable clothes that make them feel relaxed;
- Make sure your child arrives to school on time, as being late can make them feel anxious as they head into a testing session; and
- Offer them encouragement by telling them to "show what they know" and to "try their best". The goal is to minimize testing anxiety for our students.
We appreciate our families partnering with us to make the testing experience one in which students feel good about sharing just how far they have come with their academic growth during the 2022-2023 school year.
