Proctors and Assistant Proctors

ERBTesting, Grades 3-5
May 23-26, 2015

During the week of May 23, grades 3-5 students will be taking the CTP (Comprehensive Testing Program), developed by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). The tests are more commonly referred to as the ERBs. The ERBs are taken in English and administered in many American independent schools as well as international schools around the world. They are designed to assess student achievement in reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, writing concepts and skills, writing mechanics, mathematics, auditory comprehension (grade 3), and vocabulary (grades 4 and 5). Our students have been taking these tests since 1992.

Individual student results are sent to parents in early summer, after school is out. Data are reported as percentile rank and stanine score references with three different norm groups - national suburban, and independent - and broken down by area of content categories within each test. In addition, the school reviews ERB data as one measure of English achievement within our dual language programs. Last year’s results are available under the “Assessments” tab in “PYP Curriculum and Resources” on the Faculty Bulletin.

Please note that the master schedule is altered on Monday through Thursday ofERBweek. Please refer to the schedule on the Faculty Bulletin calendar.

Proctors and Assistant Proctors

The proctors for the testing will be homeroom teachers:

3A: JaanaTorhonen & Irene Friendly*
3B: Anne Maton & Alex Roosenburg*
3C: Angie Bernal/Becky Rosenberg & Leah Palmatier*
3D:Foun Tang Kelly Rogers*
* Teachers will assist for the Grade 3 Auditory Comprehension test on Monday from 10:00-10:50.

4A:Joelle Noel
4B:VaijaWagle
4C:Georgina Haslemore
4D:Jessica Ruiz

5A:SebastienCappelier
5B: Louisa Dugan
5C: Paul Skipper
5D: VivianaFontela

Substitute Proctors (if necessary):Becky Rosenberg, Irene Friendly, Anouk van Aanholt, Leah Palmatier

Schedule and Materials

For the dates and timing of all the subtests, please see theERBSchedulefor your grade level. A pacing guide is also included for you.

A revised master schedule for Monday through Thursday is available on the faculty bulletin calendar.

Sharpened #2 pencils will be provided for testing. Calculators will be provided for fifth graders for certain math tests. Copies of materials for your students will be provided to you prior to the testing dates.

Proctoring Responsibilities

Teachers serving as chief proctors, please look over the attached materials as a team prior to the testing. Leah Palmatier is your contact should questions arise.

Each morning, teachers will pick up the testing booklets, answer sheets, and scratch paper from Leah's office and return them immediately following the conclusion of testing. You will receive pencils that you should keep until the end of the week.

Please arrange the desks into rows. Proctors are required to walk around classes to ensure that students do not skip pages or questions. This means not working on your computer or checking email during the testing time.

As chief proctor, you are required to take notes about student behaviors and attitude during each testing session using theERBTesting Behavior Sheet. These notes are very useful in conferencing with parents next year if questions are raised about a child’s test results. Please fill out one form per child, noting such variables as:

test finished early
test completed within time limit
test finished very early (put length of time spent on test)
stress level during test
activity level during test
any testing irregularities or absences

Proctors should periodically write down how much time is left at 15-minute intervals and announce when there are 15 and 5 minutes remaining.

Every student completes anERBStudent Responsesheet at the completion of each testing session. Please encourage them to do so thoughtfully.

Each day, proctors must return all answer forms, booklets, and any scratch paper to Leah's office.DO NOTstore the testing booklets or answer sheets in the classrooms. Please keep the pencils until the end of the week. Per testing protocol, the students maynotkeep the scratch paper.

Week of May 2-6: Begin Exposure to ERB

Prior to May, there is no need for children to hear about (or worry about) the upcoming testing. In the first week of May, a letter will go out to the parent regarding ERBs and teachers may begin preparing students for the format of the test. Please make sure these in-class discussions are low-key and not anxiety producing for children! Although it’s important for students to do their best, this is not a high stakes test.

Week of May 9-13: Preparing Students for the Test Format

Teachers will review the test taking skills with students.Teachers will allow students the opportunity to practice with a similar multiple choice format beginning two weeks prior to the testing. Practice activities will be marked as a class.

Grade 3 and 4 teacherswill have training in setting up and facilitating online testing sessions for students.Grade 4 students will practice using online format of the test on the iPad (which is the same as last year for this group), and Grade 3 students will practice using the online format on the laptops.

Week of May 16-20: Practice Tests and Answer Sheet Preparation (grade5), iPad Account Set Up (grade 4), Online Account Set Up (grade 3):

Grade 5 teacherswill receive formalERBpractice test booklets, answer sheets, and Directions for Administration booklets.

All classes will complete the practice tests (online or paper format) with the children the week beforeERBtesting.

Paper format:Students will fill in level and grade by writing the letters in the boxes and filling in the corresponding bubbles. The homeroom teacher’s last name is used for teacher name. The date is 5/18/15. There is no student identification number. All writing MUST be done with a #2 pencil. Teachers should check for accuracy and then return the answer sheets to Leah.

Online format:Information will be entered for students through the front office.

Week of May 23-27: Testing Week

Tests are scheduled in the mornings on Monday through Thursday of testing week.

The first test will begin each day at 8:45 am, with the second test beginningat 10:00 am.The regular class schedule (revised master schedule) will resume at or around 10:50 am.

There is a short break between each test (supervised by Andy, Mignote, Kelly, Alex, and Anouk).Please let the students know that this will be a break and not a recess, therefore there will be no balls available for soccer. Students should not eat their snacks outside. Note that during testing days, there is no 2 PM recess for grade 3-4, as the younger students are outside at that time.

Friday, May 27has been reserved as a make-up day for students who are absent from school during the testing; they may retake up to two tests. Leah will schedule make-up tests and communicate with teachers and students.

Online Administration (grades 3 and 4):

Grade 3 will take the test on laptop computers, and grade 4 will be taking the test on iPads. Every morning, we will have support from help desk and Anouk. On the first day, Sean will also be there to help.

Set up the student devices (grade 3-laptops, grade 4-iPads) on their tables. For the iPads, press the home button three times to start guided access once the ERB app is open.
Log in to the ERB Portal. Begin a new test session. Label the test according to the following convention: “Testname, May 2016, Class ___”, eg. “Verbal Reasoning, May 2016, Class 3A”. Identify the subject from the drop down menu. Once you open the test, you will be given a test session number.
Show the students the test session number. Walk around to help them log in correctly.
Students will log in as with their last name and student ID. They will have a sticker on their desk with this information.
Approve the students once they have all logged in. Then students will be ready to begin.
Disconnect your computer from the Smart Board.
Monitor student progress on your computer as well as by walking around the classroom. Students will also be able to monitor their own progress with the timer that is on their device.
Encourage students to work slowly and go back to check their work in each section (there are two sections in most tests). They should have a book to read in their desk if they have finished before the time is up.
Do not close the testing. It will be closed by administration after the make-up day when every child is finished with the test.

Grades 3 and 4 students will take a practice test on Monday, May 16 at 2:30.

Students are taking the test in a nonstandard fashion will be untimed. Samia will set it up for these children in advance.

Homework Policy

Please be aware that there is to be no homework assigned to the students in grades 3-5 during the week ofERBtesting. Some short reading or continued work on long term projects (if already underway) is permitted. Otherwise,NO HOMEWORK!!!

Students with Testing Modifications

Ellie Dooling will share a list of students who have outside assessments on file with our school which make them eligible for testing modifications, such as extended testing time. These students will be supervised in a different testing location. Please let the students with modifications know what to expect and to feel comfortable and good about using the extra time if they need it. (Ellie will inform the parents via email that the testing modification will be in place.)

EAL students who are still at a developing stage of English proficiency will take theERBtests in non-standard format, in a small group setting and with extended time. Vyanne Samuels will share the names of those students with the teachers and will email the parents with this information.

Grade 3 students (5 kids) will take the test with Veronique in Room 205.

Grade 4 students (7 kids) will take the test with Ellie in the Conference Room.

Grade 5 students (4 kids) will take the test with Irene in the Math Center.