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With End-of-Grade Testing scheduled to begin in Richmond County Schools on Tuesday, students and their families may be feeling pressure, but are encouraged to remember that while the tests are important, there’s no need for unhealthy stress.

The End-of-the-Year testing schedule began with high school students starting their Advanced Placement exams last week. Third, fourth and fifth grade students will take their End of Grade tests in reading and math May 15-17. Fifth grade students will take their science End-of-Grade test on May 22.

Middle School students begin testing the following week. Sixth and seventh grade students will take their reading and math End-of-Grade Tests on May 22-24. Eighth grade students will take their reading and math End-of-Grade tests May 22 and 23, and will test in science on May 24. Retesting for students in elementary and middle school will begin May 30.

“We want all of our students to be successful, but we don’t want anyone to feel overwhelmed,” Superintendent of Schools George Norris said. “All year students and teachers have been working hard to learn the curriculum. The End-Of-Grade and End-of-Course tests are designed to assess what students have learned throughout the year.”

RCS Director of Testing and Accountability, Steve Lear, provides training for test coordinators each year in the administration of benchmarks and the End-of-Grade/End-of-Course testing. He has several recommendations for students and parents as they gear up for test week.

“The most important thing is make sure that the student is ready to go on time for testing day,” Lear said “It’s been proven that students tend to test better during the first administration of the test. It’s also very important the students get adequate sleep, each night before testing, and eat a good breakfast the morning of.”

Students have been provided with test taking strategies from teachers, academic coaches, counselors and administrators throughout the school year. Many of those strategies have been reviewed several times throughout the past few weeks. Several resources, including Power Point presentations created by RCS counselors and links to information provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, are now available on the Richmond County Schools District website, which can be located at the following web address: www.richmond.k12.nc.us. Students and parents can also contact teachers, counselors and principals for additional test preparation strategies and ideas.

Richmond Early College students begin their End-of-Course testing May 14 - 16, with retesting on May 17, and 18. Other High School students, attending Leak Street High, Richmond County Ninth Grade Academy, Richmond Senior High, and Richmond Transitional will have End-of-Course Testing May 30-June 6 with retesting scheduled for June 5-7.