Carole C. Goodman
Blake Blue Note
October/November 2009

As a regular rite of fall, the PSAT is given in all MCPS schools on Wednesday, October 14, 2009. Through a partnership with MCPS and the College Board all 10th grade students take the PSAT at no cost.  This gives students test-taking experience and provides schools with baseline data for the SAT, as well as information for placement into honors and AP classes.  All 10th grade students are expected to take the test on October 14.  There will be multiple reminders including a ConnectEd wake-up call that morning. Last year our attendance was actually down on PSAT day as some students did not get the message that they were absolutely expected to attend school and take the PSAT. Participation in the PSAT for grade 10 is a strategic target for MCPS; we need our students to take advantage of this opportunity as well as help Blake HS meet the participation target. It is our hope that parents will support this effort and make sure their children attend school on October 14.

MCPS no longer pays for either 9th or 11th grade students to take the test. The fee from the College Board is $13.00 and we are encouraging all 9th grade students who are in geometry or above in math as well as every 11th grade student to take the test.  A check made out to Blake High School may be turned in to Ms. Money in the guidance office.  The PSAT really “counts” for the 11th grade but there is a common misunderstanding that the PSAT is only for practice. For 11th grade students, the PSAT is the test that determines who is a merit scholar, commended scholar or achieves honorable mention in the National Merit Scholar program as well as the National Achievement and National Hispanic Scholar programs. These programs open doors for significant scholarship opportunities for our most able students and the test is only given once a year.  Juniors are strongly encouraged to take the test.

Scores are reported to ETS (Educational Testing Service) and parents and students receive a comprehensive analysis report indicating areas of strength and need, in addition to their actual test to review for future planning for the SAT.  This information provides the school with important data so we can structure SAT supports and interventions needed for students to maximize their potential on the SAT.

On October 14, we will do an extensive practice test for 9th and 11th grade students who do not pay to take the PSAT which will give them meaningful information for future planning as well as test experience. In addition, we will review strategies on October 2 to get students in the mind frame for the test.

There is yet another important reason for all 10th and 11th grade students to take the PSAT. The College Board provides us with  a program called “AP (Advanced Placement) Potential,” which is designed to help schools identify students who are not in honors or AP classes but have demonstrated the potential to be successful, based on their PSAT scores. We are able to access a profile on students which identifies areas of strength and helps us continue to move more students into more rigorous honors and AP courses. This program has been very helpful and has assisted in positive movement upwards for students, armed with objective data that can instill confidence in students who do not see themselves in honors classes.

What can students and parents do to maximize student performance on the PSAT/SAT? Studies show that students who read for pleasure score higher on the verbal part of the SAT. Reading can never be emphasized enough. Prior to taking the SAT, parents need to make sure students participate in some form of SAT preparation and have practice with the test, whether it is the SAT prep course we offer at Blake, a private tutor or course, or working with SAT prep books or computer programs. Students, who take one or more honors level class, score higher on the PSAT/SAT. Students need to be nudged, or pushed in some cases, to take the most rigorous course load that is reasonable for them. This is a key factor in increasing test scores and future opportunities for students.

We have worked as a school to incorporate PSAT/SAT formats into all curricular areas to help students be as familiar as possible with aspects of the test including test-taking strategies. Please visit our website and read the most up to date news and information on PSAT/SAT from the School Counseling Department and the Career Center.  Your child’s counselor, as well as, Mrs. Kathy Moore in the Career Center, Ms. Moriah Martin and Ms. Judy Pearson, our SAT coordinators are valuable resources for you and your child as they prepare for their future.

We have been very pleased by student behavior this school year; the students have been wonderful! Positive behaviors are clearly on the increase as we continue to reinforce our behavioral expectations. Students are arriving to class on time, engaged in class and there is even less trash in the halls following lunch. We are off to a wonderful start. That said, please be aware that I continue to remind students about behaviors  during the school day and at school events and would appreciate parental reinforcement of behavioral expectations.

We tell students to let an adult know if they hear of something that could be troublesome, and if a problem should arise, to keep away and allow security and administrative professionals to deal with the issue. Students are also told to have a plan for how they will leave school events and vacate the premises immediately at the conclusion of the event. The end of a contest, performance or dance is not the time to think about calling home for a ride or making post-event plans. The sooner students leave following a school event, the less likely it is that there will be issues or problems. There have been times when students have waited to be picked up over an hour after an event is over, causing school personnel to stay far longer than they should be expected to; we need our parents to work with students to ensure they have a safe and expedient way to get home. The safety of our students is the number one priority and we need everyone’s cooperation.

Sometimes in school we deal with issues of communication and unforeseen situations, and it underscored to me the critical need we have for accurate student information.  If your phone number has changed, we need to know this. If there is a cell phone number that can be used to best reach parents in an emergency, we need that information as well. Finally, any medical information is always treated confidentially and is needed to make sure we address student medical needs appropriately.  Our nurse and health-room technician are highly professional, knowledgeable and unfailingly calm when it comes to dealing with students and their medical needs. Please consider them a vital part of the team at Blake who work to support all of our students. In addition, it is absolutely critical that students who ride buses know their route number. Sometimes bus situations change and knowing what slot the bus parks in is not enough in an emergency.

Please help us by urging students to let a member of the staff know if they are having a problem, of any kind, with another student.  We use many preemptive strategies to defuse potential conflicts including an outstanding and highly effective Peer Mediation program.  Adults are always present in mediations, and mediators go through extensive training. We know we are having a positive impact when students ask for mediation as a way to resolve conflicts.  When issues occur, students are repeatedly told that by telling an adult, we will work to deal with the issue most appropriately and confidentially.  Often students are reluctant to “tell” when they have a problem, but we work very hard to be discreet and deal with the issues.  I always ask students, at the conclusion of dealing with an issue of any kind, who in the building is an adult they feel they can trust. Invariability students will name at least one teacher, counselor, administrator, member of the security team, etc. who they can go to in confidence.  This is a critically important component in a high school; students need to feel they can trust the adults around them with issues they have difficulty handling.

A related topic for parents is helping students navigate through issues of peer pressure and acceptance. If a student “tells,” often their friends retaliate through alienation or worse. The teenage “code of silence” is a very difficult thing to deal with as it often prevents adults from learning about risky, dangerous and illegal behaviors students may be experiencing or experimenting with. Students who associate with several peer groups, including teams, religious groups, or other interest based groups, both in and out of school, are less likely to be subject to negative peer pressures as they can move seamlessly to another group where they are more comfortable. If you notice your child’s friends have changed, pay close attention as it could be an indication of something negative going on, or that they have stood up to peers who were into things they didn’t want to get involved in, or perhaps something else altogether. One of the best skills a parent can learn is how to “listen between the lines” and hear what your teenager isn’t telling you.

The first marking period ends on October 30 and report cards will be given out in school on Wednesday, November 11. For students who did not do as well as they could have, the second marking period is a great opportunity to bring up their grades. Official transcripts do not show marking period or final exam grades, but only the semester grade. It is extremely important that students strive for the highest average grade possible. For some students, particularly ninth graders, the first marking period is the toughest as they are just figuring out high school.

I urge parents to encourage your children to attend school events; even better yet, attend with them or volunteer to work at a concession stand or in some other capacity. There is no better way for parents and students to get a feel for student life at Blake High School than by attending the multitude of activities, athletics, plays, concerts and other events we have to offer after school hours. Please come out and support our students.

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