Teachers and administrators have planned a variety of ways to get students ready for the test, which is important to the students’ future and to the school’s rating.

After-school mock tests, online practice and regular classroom instruction are just some of the ways the school is trying to encourage students to prepare for LEAP.

The test is important for many reasons. First, passing the language arts and math portions of the LEAP is required for eighth-graders to be promoted to high school.

LEAP scores also reflect on the school’s rating for No Child Left Behind Act, which encompasses a variety of benchmarks for success.

Based on an 8.6 points drop in test scores last year, VJHS fell into level 1-school improvement and was labeled a &uot;school in decline.&uot;

That means test scores need to improve this year.

Parents can take an active role in making that happen.

Encourage your children to take the after-school mock tests on Mondays; make sure they get to school in the morning on time and ready for class; and make sure they are at school during the week of the LEAP test, and they they get a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast on those days.

Students and teachers are working hard, but they can’t do it all alone.