CATS Testing

I know. It sounds like I'm having my little feline girl tested for some kind of illness. In the state of Kentucky, the accountability test that is administered every Spring is called CATS. For the life of me, I cannot remember what the letters stand for - it's late and I'm totally whipped at this point!

This is the second week of CATS testing at school. Tomorrow is the last day for testing – thank heavens! Nine days is very hard and stressful for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students to test. I have monitored in classrooms for several days over the past two weeks. Teachers and monitors have to walk the room the whole time testing is in progress. It can last anywhere from 1-2 hours. My rear end has been dragging out the tracks of my chubby feet this week. Several days I came home absolutely exhausted. My couch was calling my name when I came in the front door. I can’t imagine how the students and teachers feel!

I remember when Justyn was in middle school. I would pick him after school. Normally he didn’t even want me to speak to him until after we left the parking lot. It wasn’t cool to have your Mother pick you up and act happy to see her at the same time. On testing days he was very different. He would get in the car and dramatically let his head fall back on the seat and say “Oh Mom! It was horrible! We had to sit quietly all day (probably two hours) and think!” Now for a teenager to sit quietly is a chore but to think at the same time is painful! Not to mention for long periods at a time. I think this convinced Justyn that he never wanted to be a priest or work in a funeral home! It was on these days that I would ask him if it was a Baskin-Robbins day. All he strength to do was to nod his head. As we sat eating our ice cream, I knew that these days would pass way too quickly. It was certainly not cool to be seen eating ice cream with your Mom but when she was treating you – it was OK!

Our local Baskin-Robbins has long since closed. Justyn is now 27 years old and testing is still just as stressful to all involved.

I think I may need to buy stock in Ben & Jerry’s. We have become very good friends over the past two weeks!

Lesa