Students, stay focused down the stretch!

Every year without fail, the fourth quarter of the school year becomes a war of attrition between students and their inner child.

Not surprisingly the final nine weeks of the school year tends to be the most difficult stretch of the year for students of all ages as they begin to see the sun shining after winter and slowly but surely grades begin to slip, attendance begins to dip, and enthusiasm for learning is at an all time low.

Minus the attendance issue, which seems to be more of a high school trend than any of the other grade levels, all of the local schools seem to see these issues arise during this time.

Every educator does something slightly different than the next, from thought process to the way they implement each and every lesson.

Mike Groves, the principal at Pinehurst Elementary believes that first way that these end-of-the-year behaviors can be stopped is in the student’s home.

“It needs to start at home,” Groves said. “Parents need to emphasize that the school year is not over. In fact, the most important part in some aspects is still to come (state testing is conducted at the end of the year), and the teachers and kids have worked hard to make as much progress as possible.”

Mullan High School principal Don Kotschevar has similar feelings to Groves.

“Way too often I hear students say, ‘I don't care how I do on these tests,’ or, ‘it won't help my grade.’ Others say their parents don't care how they do,” Kotschevar said. “Well these tests are important and parental support and even rewarding their children for doing well can be a great assistance to our schools.”

Recently there has been a lot of controversy over the emphasis that is put on state standardized testing, and while all the opinions and concerns certainly have their place, so do the tests.

Standardized testing is a form of testing that is created, administered, and scored in the same way for all students in order to obtain an objective picture of student, teacher, school, and district performance.

Ensuring that students are at school to learn the things necessary to perform well on these tests is tantamount to school districts across America.

But, Kotschevar understands that kids are going to need days off, just like adults do, especially as the weather begins to become more agreeable.

“As the weather begins to get nice students want to take a day off and enjoy the weather,” Kotschevar said, “just keep your child's teacher in the loop and prearrange these absences.”

Steps like these ensure that everyone is communicating, the student will be able to make up any missed work, and the absence will excused.

Interim Wallace Jr/Sr High School principal Chris Lund sees the current Spring Break as the perfect time for students to get out and enjoy the weather before coming back and making the final push for the year.

“This time of year is always tough, especially this year with the long winter and people itching to get outside,” Lund said. “ My advice for students is to enjoy spring break, get outside, and enjoy this time off. Use the break to refocus and regroup to finish out the year strong.”

Maintaining a student’s health is also a factor as sleep deprivation, poor diet, and over-extending oneself could lead to a change in attitude that may cost a student down the final stretch.

“Parents need to ensure students are eating right, getting a good night’s sleep, hydrating and maintaining good positive attitudes,” Groves said.

Once a kid’s attitude changes, it isn’t easy to get it back on track.

The same goes for grades, once they begin to slip it becomes increasingly difficult to make up the ground.

“My biggest tip for parents and students would be don't procrastinate,” Kotschevar said. “Students have a tendency to wait until the last minute and then realize they don't have the time to complete assignments correctly.”