The week when students in schools across Maryland sit in a classroom for three and a half hours bubbling in answers started at NHS with Ms. Keri Wildgruber and Ms. Stephanie Garrison putting in long hours to get the Maryland High School Assessment’s (HSA’s) ready for testing. “The shipment gets brought in, every packet gets scanned in. Then they’re sorted into stacks of 25, answer sheets separated by color, and each one labeled,” said Garrison. “It felt like it took forever to get done. I knew it was a lot of hard work, so I volunteered to help Mrs. Wildgruber.” The two did most of the work in the conference room in the main office.

Sophomores took the English HSA on Tuesday, May 21. After preparing all year for the big test they have to pass in order to graduate, most felt really confident in the end. “I felt that it was really easy. We prepared in class so I wasn’t worried about it,” said sophomore Rebecca Denby. Sophomore Ian Feaster sat for his as well: “The test was long and cumbersome. I don’t like taking long tests. It was easy, though, and I felt well prepared.”

Even though Taylor Mitchell is a freshman, she was busy taking both the Biology and Government tests on May 22, and 23. “ They were both really easy. It was just annoying having to sit in a testing room for three and a half hours for two days in a row,” she said.

Junior Tristen Plant took the Government HSA on Thursday, May 23. “It was a lot easier than I expected. It seemed like everyone had extra time after each section and just slept,” he said. The Government test was removed from the HSA’s previously, but was brought back this year to stay. Students felt the Government test seemed to be the easiest.

Every day of testing, you saw some students coming in late. Ms. Sandra Loveless in the Attendance Office had students waiting in line to sign in at 10:20. “It was a lot slower this year than in past years. There have been years when I had kids in line out the door and on the sidewalk. If you aren’t signed in the computer by 10:20, it means you get a half day. On May 21, 124 students signed in late. On May 22, 127 students signed in. Lastly, on May 23, only 86 students signed in.” said Loveless. Those who came late missed pre-planned math and science study events during the test period.

Now that the HSA’s are over and school is nearly out for the Summer, all students can do is wait for the results in the fall.

–Meagan McMichael and Samantha Plant, The Patriot Press