Dear McDonald Families,
We are just a little over a week and a half away from the start of PSSAs for our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at McDonald. As we head into these important assessments, please keep an eye out for information from the school district and review this newsletter as you support your students alongside our staff and teachers.
As a reminder our test dates are as follows:
April 23-25: ELA PSSA for grades 3, 4, and 5
April 29 & 30: Math PSSA for grades 3, 4, and 5
May 1 & 2: Science PSSA for grade 5
***Make ups will take place at the earliest opportunity for students***
We are asking that all students keep their Chromebooks in their homerooms beginning on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 (Start of Spring Break) until the end of their Grade’s testing Window (April 30th- 3rd and 4th Grades; May 2nd- 5th Grade). This will ensure that we have adequate, charged laptops and will hopefully decrease any test jitters that may arise from a laptop that is left at home on a testing day.
Our students have spent all year learning and working hard, and we are now excited to support them as they show what they know!
Here are a few easy ways to give your child their best chance at success on the PSSAs:
- Make sure they are in school and on time each day for testing.
- Encourage your student(s) to do their very best on the tests.
- Ensure your student(s) get enough sleep and come to school well rested each day.
- Have your student(s) eat a nutritious breakfast. (Breakfast is still free for all students in Centennial)
Thank you for your support of our students and teachers as we head into our PSSA testing window. We look forward to celebrating how well our students do!
Have a wonderful start to your week.
Dr. Diana Garaitonandia
Spring 2025 PSSA & Keystone Assessment Information
Thank you for supporting your student’s participation in the upcoming 2025 administration of the PSSA and Keystone Exams! These state assessments provide educators with information about students’ attainment of grade-level content in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. This information is used by districts and schools to identify strengths and areas of need in our instructional programs.
We understand that the PSSA and Keystone Exams are often considered “high-stakes” testing, but we want to emphasize that the test is just one piece of a bigger picture. A single test score does not provide a complete or precise measure of student achievement; it represents just a snapshot of student performance at a specific moment in time.
Included in this eAlert are the following:
These and other relevant documents may also be found on the CSD Assessment & Data website.
