Ask Jasper Elementary School’s principal which days she would least like for her school to be besieged by a nasty stomach bug and her response would likely be, “Anytime except during the CRCT.”
Unfortunately that’s just what happened last week when scores of students and several staff were plagued with a virus. At a time of year when school attendance is critical, JES saw scores of students absent or leaving early from class after being hit with a terrible stomach bug, prompting many kids to take two CRCT tests on the same day in order to make them up.
“On the worst day, we had 36 students out, and the best day there were 14 absent,” said Principal Dr. Nonnie Weeks. “We had five children who were absent the whole time during testing days.”
Weeks said 75 make-up tests were taken Monday.
According to the Georgia Department of Education, the CRCT is designed to measure how well students acquire the skills and knowledge in the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS).
The tests are considered very important for local schools and on the state level.
Weeks said there were pros and cons for students who miss taking parts of the test due to sickness.
“Children typically do better taking the test in their regular classroom with their peers,” she said, “but whenever children have to make up the test, it’s typically in smaller groups, so there are less distractions. In some cases, this year it’s been one-on-one. Of course the other side is they may not be over everything completely, and they may not be up to par, so there could be some repercussions from that.”
Weeks said at the onset of the outbreak her staff worked diligently to keep the school sanitized, wiping down doorknobs, water fountains and other heavily touched areas constantly.
“Everybody has been trying to keep it as germ free as possible. The children probably have raisin fingers from all the sanitizers we’ve been using,” she said.
Weeks said she still feels JES students will post stellar scores when results come in at the end of May or first of June.
“I know these kids have done the best they can do,” she said. “We’re hoping for good things because we have worked really hard. Our teachers and children have been preparing for the test. I really hate that sickness has hit us at this important time, because I know they were prepared for it. It’s just those outside influences that get us sometime.” |
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