Testing begins next week.  Many students have shared with me that they are anxious about doing well on the test, especially our third graders.  Please be aware, that your child or children may display some signs of stress such as difficulty going to sleep, irritability, changes in appetite, headaches or an upset stomach.  Some suggestions to relieve stress are to listen to music, physical activity and sometimes, just having someone to listen to you.  Other ways to help children during testing is to organize book bags and materials the night before, make sure that your child gets at least eight hours of sleep, cut back on junk food and the amount of television that your child watches.  During this very intense time of the year, it is very important that your child begins each day with encouraging and supportive words from you  and other family members.  Finally, as adults we must keep in mind that all children want to do well, no one plans to fail.   More importantly,  "Failure is never final", it just shows there is more to learn.

Your child and I thank you in advance for your extra support during the next two weeks of testing.

Your Friendly Counselor

Ms. Bryant