Schools liven up atmosphere to ease state-testing stress

To get students ready for days of intensive testing, schools around the county allowed kids to live it up a little, in hopes it will result in high scores.

Jill Pickett

The seventh-grade section of students celebrate winning the trophy Friday during the “mega rally” at Bluegrass Middle School. The rally was held to motivate students to do well on the Kentucky Core Content Test.

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Jill Pickett

Bluegrass Middle School assistant principal Mario Riley takes a pie to the face Friday as part of the “mega rally” held to motivate students before the Kentucky Core Content Test.

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Jill Pickett

Students do a dance/skit based on the movie “Men in Black” to entertain classmates during the “mega rally” Friday at Bluegrass Middle School to build excitement for the Kentucky Core Content Test.

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Jill Pickett

Seventh-grader Makayla Brown works to push sixth-grader Chase Wilson out of the circle during a game called “Bop It” as part of the “mega rally.” Brown won the opportunity to throw a pie at a teacher.

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The window for the Kentucky Core Content Test begins today, so schools have been working to boost their students’ spirits and set goals for them to achieve.

Many schools held assemblies, including Creekside, Howevalley and Meadow View elementary schools. Vine Grove Elementary School students took a walk around the town Friday to receive encouragement from businesses in the area.

Helmwood Heights Elementary School gave rewards to students who did well on the tests last year. For schools that aren’t starting testing today, the events continue with more assemblies, as well as a dance at New Highland Elementary School.

Bluegrass Middle School took the term “assembly” to new heights Friday with what they termed a “mega rally,” in which teachers did their best to motivate students for two hours. Students and staff were decked out in red school T-shirts, and the grades competed as to who could show the most spirit.

Students and teachers performed skits and competed in marshmallow contests, all while students chanted for their grade, their friends, and for the number 90, which is the school’s goal on the test.

Students won prizes, including cash and an Xbox gaming system. The event culminated in “dunking the scores,” where students holding KCCT scores in the 80s were dropped into a dunking booth. This was followed by students throwing a pie at a teacher of their choosing.

Seventh-grader Courtney Hall said the event worked its magic on her and motivated her to do her best.

“It was fun and it inspired me to get a 90 on the test,” Hall said.

Eighth-grade math teacher Stephanie Deaton said the idea for the mega rally came from Principal Michael Elmore. He wanted a big event to get students ready to try their hardest.

“And we went for it and we did it,” Deaton said.

She and other teachers had been planning the event since November. Deaton said middle school students need something to work for to achieve, and she hoped seeing that students who scored well on the test last year had the opportunity to win prizes this year would give them the inspiration they needed.

After the rally, Deaton seemed just as excited as the students.

“I thought it was great,” she said. “I thought it was absolutely phenomenal.”

The KCCT is the current standardized testing system for Kentucky that measures student and school progress. The testing window closes May 6.

Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505-1747 or kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com.