Spring testing is quickly approaching and Centreville High school is planning to adjust the testing blocks for the SOL exams of 2025-2026 in order to improve  testing environments for students without interrupting daily class periods as well as to provide better distribution of school proctors for students testing. After being presented with the idea at the end of February the Dr. Healey and the administrative team came with a consensus and decided to implement the new testing block schedules for Centreville High school: 

In the past, Centreville High would have its testing rooms would be held close together in 2nd floor student classrooms. Students and teachers would have to be moved to an LC trailer room so testing students could have the proper space to take their exam. Although this strategy prioritized exam students, it was very disruptive to those who were having their class periods with their teachers. The new testing schedule is supposedly implemented to fix this problem. 

Dr. Healey states that, “students who are not testing will be assigned to a location and have time to work on assignments. We will resume with a standard bell schedule after 11:15 on each day.” Although the bell schedule is made for students who are testing, it also accommodates those who will not be testing as well. 

Dr. Healey explains that this new testing schedule will help Centreville High resolve any past class interruptions during days of testing.

“What we want to do is create the best possible testing environment for our students,” states Mrs. Girardin. When non-testing students are relocated to larger locations during testing periods, it makes way for better proctor distribution in the school. This is essential because according to Mrs. Girardin will give “Less work for faculty and less testing to students.” 

Mrs. Girardin believes that this new schedule will make it easier for Centreville faculty to academically support their students as proctors during exams. Because of the new testing schedule, testing environments for students are planned to improve due to the better distribution of proctors.

Although the revision of Centreville’s testing schedule targets SOL testing, it will not have a direct effect on the placement times of AP exams. The designated times and dates for high school AP testing are determined by the College Board, this also means that these college testing schedules are also permanent once decided.  The AP testing periods of Centreville High school will remain the same, but students should expect these testing blocks to be elongated due to the shifts of SOL scheduling. 

Centreville High school is not the only school considering this revision in testing schedules. 

Dr.Healey states that “When we were considering this change, I met with the Assessment Coach at Chantilly High School since they have implemented this schedule the last few years.” Several other High schools have considered shifting their testing schedules to improve the testing experience for their students. It was actually the testing model of Chantilly High school that helped shape and support the new testing schedule of Centreville High school.

“We want everyone to be successful the first time,” states Mrs. Girardin. The new testing schedule of Centreville High school has one sole purpose, and that is to give students access to a safe testing environment, so they can be academically successful the first time. 

Dr Healey expresses that, “the dedicated time helps students to not feel rushed to return to a standard schedule, allowing them to take the time needed to perform at their best.” Centreville Staff just want their students to feel prepared and to feel confident in themselves for their exams, and the new testing schedule is one way Centreville High School can strive to support its students during this trivial time of testing.