REYNOLDSVILLE – Almost every 11th grader in Pennsylvania took the PSSA test last year. From these tests evaluations of both the students and the schools are made. The tests evaluate student and school progress in reading, writing, math, and science. Scores also represent four different levels: Advanced, Proficient, Basic, and Below Basic. The year 2011 was a very good year for the students at Jeff Tech. Improvements were seen in all four test areas.
At the top of the improvement list shines math. Jeff Tech experienced a 42.3 percent increase in PSSA math scores over last year. In the area of science the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) reports that there was “significant evidence that the district exceeded the standard for PA Academic Growth.” This means that the Jeff Tech students advanced much higher, as a class, in the area of Science achievement as expected by the state. The PDE report also shows that Jeff Tech had 18 students with all four scores of Proficient or higher this year. In fact, 55 percent of the 123 Jeff Tech students taking the test had no below basic scores in any area of the test. “Another area where the school really shined this year was in the Writing subtest,” Kimmel, principal, reported. “Over 98 percent of our students were Basic or above in that area. We have some good writers here at Jeff Tech.”
Jeff Tech students did have the normal intrinsic motivations to do their best on the job, just because it was the right thing to do. But Jeff Tech did not stop there. The student led PSSA-NOCTI Testing Task Force (TTF) provided many other tangible incentives. The TTF brainstormed all year long to provide more motivation for Jeff Tech students to do their best on the PSSA. They held a spirit week, a pep rally, a picnic, provided healthy snacks during the test, and offered a drawing for students who scored proficient or higher on any of the four test areas. Recently the TTF awarded the grand and second prizes of a video camera and a hand held wireless tablet to students Brandon Boleen and Cody VanNamee. The goal of the TTF is to encourage their peers to take seriously the importance of this test.
Task force president, Jennifer Lowery (grade 12), leads with enthusiasm and organization. “We have a full slate of activities planned for this year. This will be the best year ever for our PSSA results and we are willing to do what it takes to make that happen.” When asked what the committee has in mind for this year’s preparations Jennifer was excited to list the games, contests, prizes, and pep rally that the students are planning. The special events during spirit week will make a lasting impression on people. She claimed that their goal is to involve everyone in these activities and that, “no one will be bored.”
Keri Dobson (grade 12), TTF secretary, said that this year’s Spirit Week will be different from any others in the past. “We have a lot of work to do before the tests begin March 12. We will be holding a quiz bowl with practice questions for the test and in these competitions we will have each of the 15 shops sporting a team to challenge others for the top prizes.”
Committee advisor Sam Ettaro reported that the TTF is made up of teachers as well as students; these students are hand selected by teachers for their leadership skills as well as their communication skills. Although these TTF only meets once a week, they work hard to find ways to motivate others to do well on their PSSA tests. “This committee makes sure that the students do everything possible to motivate their fellow students to do well on these tests. We have a full marketing campaign that promotes study skills and even some core content that the students will face on the tests. Items include posters to hang in the school that advertise ways to prepare for the PSSA tests, practice questions, count-down banners, online web polls and even pep rallies and celebrations to be held after the tests.” Other faculty advisors include Dr. Jim Brown, librarian and Charlene Thompson, math instructor.
Brown reported that the TTF role this year has expanded and will be covering the oversight of the Red Ribbon week as well. Students on the taskforce have created a video which will be posted on the Jeff Tech website Oct. 24 to kick off the Red Ribbon events at Jeff Tech. “You have to be drug free to do your best on the PSSA,” Brown cited. He also mentioned that the PSSA preparations are just the beginning of the testing season for Jeff Tech. The PSSA is quickly followed by the NOCTI (National Occupational Competency Testing Institute). The NOCTIs are the end of program assessments for the career and technical shops. They come in two parts, written and performance. They will be held the last half of April. Those are followed by the nurse aide exam for health assisting students and the NIMS for students in Machine Shop.
PSSA Spirit Week at Jeff Tech will be held the second week of March followed by four weeks of testing. Then the NOCTI Spirit Week follows in the second week of April with tests immediately following. The nurse aide test is the last week of April.
This year, the Jeff Tech TTF will be helping students motivate themselves and help others overcome whatever fear they may have of these tests. The TTF plans to be around for years to come, motivating more students every year.
Videos from this year’s events are posted on a regular basis at www.jefftech.us and are available to the public.