A journalism major in college, the school’s new testing coordinator Christina Wills spent 18 years working in special education at Wakeland High School. She grew up in Richardson and went to Bishop Lynch High School before attending Texas A&M.
Wingspan: What is your job on campus as the new testing coordinator?
Wills: “My job is to manage the PSAT and SAT and to get everything related to the STAAR test ready.”
Wingspan: How do you manage all the SAT and PSAT?
Wills: “I begin planning for all test administrations, PSAT/SAT or STAAR, months ahead. I start by determining how many students we will be testing, which includes both current enrolled students and any homeschool students in our zone that want to test here. Once I have a number, I plan what resources we need (tables, computers, calculators, etc.) to administer to that many students. We determine which areas of the school we will test the students, whether those areas have the appropriate furniture to accommodate the number of testers in each room, etc. Once I know who is testing and where, then I turn my attention to the logistics of the test day, such as what the schedule for the day will be based on the length of the test, what the testing duties will be for the teachers and staff, and so forth. All along the way, I am communicating with parents and students, and training the staff. The last step is to prepare the test day materials for teachers to pick up on the morning of the test. It’s a big undertaking with a lot of steps along the way.”
Wingspan: Is managing STAAR prep easier?
Wills: “No. While requirements differ between the various tests, the process is essentially the same no matter what test we are giving.”
Wingspan: What does it take to get all the juniors and sophomores ready to take the PSAT?
Wills: “Well, our wonderful Liberty teachers do most of the work getting our students ready for the PSAT as they provide instruction in classes. I have to make sure that students have school-issued devices, and plan for those that have not yet opted into the one to one program. Then we do a digital readiness check with all the students to ensure their devices are updated and ready for test day. I will send out multiple emails and other communication to ensure everyone knows what to bring on test day and where they are to report.”
Wingspan: What is another part of your job apart from test prep?
Wills: “My main responsibility is testing, from STAAR EOCs to PSAT/SAT to AP testing. There is always a test administration on the horizon, so that is my main job function.”
