Lewiston school board members get tested

Lewiston school board members got to walk in the shoes of some of the students by taking one of the state assessments students do every year.

At a Monday school board meeting, student volunteers from Sacajawea Middle School helped school board members John Rudolph and Charlette Kremer and board president Staci Baldwin with some sample questions. Even Lewiston School District Superintendent Lance Hansen participated.

One task school board members were asked to perform was to read a portion of an essay. They were then questioned, in multiple choice, on comprehension such as the author’s point of view, intent or argument.

A math question posed to the members had the equation 5x+(x+6)+3x and they were asked to select all multiple choice answers that are equivalent to the question.

Kremer, Rudolph and Baldwin all commented on the hardness of the test.

“Math was my strong suit but I hadn’t done algebra in years,” Baldwin said.

But the student Baldwin had helping her gave her advice on how to solve the problem.

“It was really great to have them (the students) explain their thought process,” Kremer said.

Rudolph said the tests students take also help them in future jobs where testing and certification is required. The skills the students are learning aren’t just about the subject, but also test-taking skills and strategies.

“I think it’s incredibly valuable,” Rudolph said. “It’s a skill we teach that goes well beyond school.”

Baldwin added that tests help with learning how to handle emotions.

Sacajawea Middle School Principal Tim Sperber said teachers at the school took the tests to help them understand what was on the test and what students needed.

“They realized how hard our kids have to work,” Sperber said.

It also changed how they helped students who were struggling. Now they have earlier interventions to help with students and every morning kids can get the assistance they need.

One of the student volunteers with eighth grader Sydney Bagley. She said the Shortened Interim Comprehension Assessment, or SICA test, was always hard but it got harder in eighth grade.

Bagley told the school board members that being taught different strategies in one subject is helpful. For example, Bagley said she’s a visual learner so using that technique is helpful to her but other students might have other ways that work for them.

Bagley also said teachers who teach different ways to solve one problem is another strategy that can be helpful on the test. It’s another way that students can learn a method that works best for them or for the problem they’re working on. Even having different teachers can help. Bagley used the example of being taught the same subject by two different teachers who had different approaches which helped with learning.

Bagley noted that on the test, knowing vocabulary is an important area because sometimes the test will use different words in asking the question, even in math.

“That’s something that needs to be clear with all students,” Bagley said.

Baldwin asked the students what they didn’t like about the test. Some didn’t like sitting down for a long time or the stress of the test itself. Bagley commented on the test taking place in the morning rather than later in the day. Seventh grader Evelyn Morgan said that when she’s taking the test she can’t listen to music even though it helps her focus and drowns out other noise distractions.

Hansen said that SICA is the shortened exam, meaning that the spring students take the full test. He said the test in the fall is taken so teachers can know where the student is at and help them get where they need to be for the spring.

“What do our students need to know?” Hansen said about the fall test.

He anticipates there will be growth throughout the year as the schools provide learning opportunities for students.

In other business, the school board got an update about the athletic facility at the high school. Construction for the new stadium at the Lewiston High School is still on schedule to host at least one fall athletic event. Hansen said one or possibly two fall sports could be hosted at the stadium as construction continues in October.

This week the track around the football field will be placed. The track will be purple with gold lines.

Bids have been set out for the next part of the athletic facility: the practice soccer field. Two buildings will also be part of the next phase that will have restrooms. Once the practice soccer field is complete the rest of the funding will focus on the softball and baseball complexes.

Hansen said that as the opening gets closer he will let the community know so they can come see the facility and attend a game.

While some of the activities that take place at the current Bengal Field won’t be able to be replicated, Hansen thought of some other fun ideas for students and fans. With the new stadium there will be an opportunity to do a “high school-appropriate” tailgate with the marching band. Hansen wants to use that to create an atmosphere for home events.

For fall sports the stadium won’t be able to be used throughout the whole season this year, but spring sports will be able to use it for the entire season.

“(We’re) 100% ready to go for spring,” Hansen said.

That doesn’t just include spring sports like track and field, but also marching band and cheer, with both starting their competitions in the spring.

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.