Last year during the ACT/PSAE not everyone was testing. The underclassmen had an opportunity to build their own school day and not just have a normal day of school. This year that has changed.
Leyden wasn’t able to renew its efforts for student led activities and service learning this year during state testing. As part of the new schedule Mr. Markey talked about why the student led activities have changed and why. “Testing changed because the additional test, with PARCC, (it) takes up a significant amount days. Also we have MAP testing for reading and math. Because of these being fluid, [we] weren’t sure when [we] could schedule the student led activities like [we] did last year.” Markey added on that he hopes that there will be opportunities to have such days again some time, noting that he saw a lot of kids smiling and enjoying the interactive school day.
Last year, during the two-day PSAE testing, underclassmen had the opportunity to lead some type of activity during testing days. Mati Szelazek was one of the student leaders, Szelazek created and presented a session on video editing. “My favorite part about leading was watching students go from being bored to enjoying things at the end and watching people taking the skill and using it.” Mati also says that he thinks that the students really enjoyed not just his session but the other ones as well, and that he would really like to do something like this again so students get a chance to lead their peers.