Each year, juniors from all around the state participate in Nebraska State Testing. The results of these tests from last year’s junior class, this years senior class, have placed Westside in the middle of all NE schools.

“I know these tests are only a small picture of what defines us, but we are definitely a better school than what the scores showed.” Said Principal Maryanne Ricketts.

This year, in order to improve scores, juniors have taken practice tests in writing, the school has increased help available for the reading portion, they have set up parallel math consumerism tests, and added material to science curriculums.

The scores aid in the process of labeling how a school is doing. If scores do not match Annual Yearly Progress, the school is labeled “needs improvement.” The scores reflect both the students and the staff, and Ricketts hopes to see some difference in the scores this year.

Math Department Chair, Angela Mosier, also thinks that students are more capable than the scores reflected. The math department has done many things to better prepare students for taking the NeSA tests. They have formed their competency exams to be more like the NeSA tests, and are using more review software for students’ use.

“Our job as a department is how to get our scores to reflect what we know students are actually capable of.” Said Mosier.