Sweatpants, snacks in zip lock bags, and an abundance of #2 pencils are a good sign it’s testing season. For most students, this comes at the end of the year with STAAR and AP tests.

However for some dual credit students, testing season is this week, with Friday the final day.

“The content that’s covered in the first semester is the predominant part that’s tested on the STAAR test,” campus testing coordinator Ashley Stipe said. “It wouldn’t make sense for them to wait for spring because they’ve been taught all of that information this first semester and what they will be taking for dual credit second semester isn’t very much on the test. You want to be tested over the content when it’s fresh on your mind.”

Taking the STAAR months before her classmates, junior Wesley Noon liked that she could get something off her plate.

“I liked taking the STAAR test before everyone else because it got it out of the way and now I don’t have to worry about it next semester,” Noon said. “Also it was nice that now all my STAAR tests are over with. This helped with stress because now that it is over I won’t have to worry and have to stress about preparing for it.”

Due to the STAAR testing, the library has been and will remain closed until Monday affecting librarian Chelsea Hamilton’s day-to-day routine. 

“During STAAR testing, my days are a little different,” she said. “I assist Mrs. Stipe with organizing testing: helping get everything to testing administrators, counting documents/booklets, taking attendance.” 

After helping out with test organization, Hamilton works on the behind-the-scenes work of the library.  

“I work on the things I normally work on, just not checking books in and out,” Hamilton said. “I’m curating book order lists, collaborating with teachers and working on ways to assist them, creating future activities for the library, and researching.” 

Even though students can’t physically go into the library, they can use the library’s online resources, as well as return and renew books. 

“I actually put out a return cart,” she said. “For renewals, students can email me and I can renew it for them/ As for resources, students are able to use almost all of our resources online