Since COVID-19, Trinity students have been completing their semester exams in individual classrooms. This year, however, they instead found rows of tables filling the DAC and RAC with hundreds of individuals packed into one space, marking a seemingly permanent return to centralized testing. Administrators say the change was driven by wellness and grading logistics.
When exams were held in individual classrooms, teachers were often required to proctor tests outside of their subject areas across multiple days, making it difficult to complete grading on time.
“This was a strategic initiative aligned with some of the wellness objectives, that having grades be finalized by the end of (exam) week was important, so that students were not overly anxious during the holidays and had to wait until after the first of the year,” Head of Upper School Tracy Bonday said. “We also wanted teachers not to feel that they were leaving and having to continue to grade through their breaks.”
The centralized testing format, however, was intended to address both of these concerns.
“The thought was, if we moved back to exams in the DAC and RAC … it means that the teachers are only proctoring their content area tests, so then they have the other days to be able to spend closing out grades for the semester,” Bonday said.
The centralized testing locations also facilitated teacher assistance and support for students.
“When we didn’t do this, all faculty members would have to run between rooms to answer student questions, which was a lot of physical wear and tear on teachers,” Science Department Chair Romina Jannotti said. “Now, we’re just in one place. … I think it’s nice that I can still be with my own students and assist them with questions.”
With all students in one place, the gym setting also allowed for further supervision over exams.
“Moreover, I think it also helps with test security because now you have multiple adults in the room monitoring things,” Jannotti said. “I like being able to monitor my own exams because I think there are things that I can look for that maybe a teacher of another subject doesn’t look for.”
Centralized testing also allowed teachers more precise control over how their exams were administered.
“I no longer have to write a note for someone in terms of how to administer my test, which is difficult to do because sometimes, things that come second nature to me, I might not be able to articulate well on paper,” Jannotti said.
Some students, like 8th grader Jacob Scheinberg, shared the benefits of the new testing environment, including how one location reduces the stress of finding the correct classroom.
While navigating the test site became easier, some found the locations themselves more distracting due to the sheer volume of people and noise in larger spaces.
“I prefer a smaller space because I feel there’s less people who could distract me,” sophomore Tyler Tongson said. “If it’s like a larger space, then there’s more chances that people might do something by accident and be disruptive.”
Teachers also noted that the format comes with trade-offs, such as tailoring exam logistics to specific tests. This is especially important for teachers who want to mirror their semester exams to their classroom tests, with nuances like specific time allocations for different sections.
“If I were in my classroom, I’d be able to tell my students it’s been 45 minutes,” Jannotti said. “You (can’t) do that in a large setting because you don’t want to disrupt everybody.”
Despite these challenges, administrators said the overall response to the change has been positive, especially from teachers.
“From what I understand, everybody was very happy to see the change back to the testing in the gym and the ability to be able to have more time to grade during (testing) week,” Bonday said.
Looking ahead, Bonday emphasized how reduced stress during Christmas break remains a priority for the administration.
“I’m hoping that, whatever the trade-offs are, being able to move on and potentially enjoy the rest of their break is enough of an upside that whatever little nuances may be involved … will not be so problematic,” Bonday said.
