Most School Counselors act as Testing Coordinators. I have been a coordinator for the ACTs, PSAT, PLAN, APs, and now NYS grade 5-8 ELA and Math Assessments. I hate testing but it is a necessary evil.
How can you be a great testing coordinator? It’s easy; plan ahead, expect last minute changes, and keep organized.
To get ready for this year’s testing, I am putting together folders for each room used for testing. Each folder contains the following information:
- Student Roster
- Proctor’s Responsibility Checklist
- Answer Sheets
- Testing In Progress Door Sign
- Student Accommodations
- Pencils
- Direction Booklet
- Materials To Return Checklist
- Tape
- Tissues
Really, the 5-8 Assessments are much easier to coordinate compared to AP exams. There are fewer items to get ready.(If you would like to know more about being an ACT Coordinator and a testing site, or an AP Coordinator, send me an email and I will tell you all about it.)
In addition to getting testing rooms ready, I also am sending a special edition newsletter to parents with some good information and reminders–change doctor appointments so they don’t conflict with testing dates, get to bed early, eat a good breakfast, give words of encouragement, call the school if there is an absence on testing day, etc. You can see a copy of my newsletter below. If you would like a PDF version, leave a comment below.
