Freshman, sophomores and seniors will participate in remote learning on October 14 as the juniors take the PSAT. 

Only juniors will be allowed in the building on October 14 to maintain COVID safety regulations as they take their tests. 

“Safety measures as a result of COVID-19 necessitated limiting the number of testers per room,” testing coordinator Stephanie Osborn said. “Our primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff, and we made our decision accordingly. We limited the number of students in a testing room to 18.”

Ninth, tenth and twelfth graders will be online learning the day of the PSAT.

“I don’t understand why we have to, but I don’t really mind having to do online for one day,” sophomore Autumn Caka said.

Teachers will not only be administering and monitoring testing, but they will also need to provide assignments for all students who will be remote learning that day. 

“I will provide an enrichment assignment in Canvas so that remote learners are engaged but testing students do not fall behind,” science teacher Heather Lebow said. “We are responsible for our in-person and remote learners on a daily basis, so on the testing day, things will not really be any different.”

Juniors are not required to bring testing materials to the school. There will be materials provided for them, and they only need to bring what will be required for online learning after the test is complete.

“Juniors only need to bring their smiling faces, sharp minds and a great attitude,” Osborn said. “They may bring snacks to eat during breaks, but not during the test and layers of clothing to put on or take off for either being in a hot or cold testing room. They can bring their own graphing calculator too, but the campus will provide them for all testers.”

Students will be in their testing room all day and will participate in online learning after their room is finished testing. 

“I think by now I’m pretty used to staying in the same room all day,” junior Gabbie Pina said. “I am glad that the campus has shut down, and it will only be juniors. I think that is cool.”

Juniors that participate in remote learning on a daily basis will have the opportunity to take the PSAT if they come to campus the day of the test. 

“The PSAT/NMSQT does not offer an online test for our remote learners,” Osborn said. “Remote juniors have been contacted and encouraged to take the PSAT/NMSQT on campus and test separately from our on campus testers.”

Some remote juniors have decided to return to school for one day only to participate in PSAT testing. 

“I’m kind of scared because I haven’t been in the school in a year, and I’m gonna miss going back for one day and then not be able to go again,” junior Emmalee Ascheal said. “I might have to ask someone where my class is because I haven’t been there in so long.” 

Testing can be stressful for some students, and everyone has their own strategies and their own ways of dealing with it. 

“On the day of the test, focus your thoughts on the test and not on the assignments you will be missing in class,” Lebow said. “Take a deep breath and think positive thoughts.