Every year, Hazelwood West High’s End-of-Course scores vary. With every student having different strategies and preparations, it can be stressful for students who don’t know how to study, but it is possible to pass the EOC score 100%. Students in the Hazelwood School District take the EOC score at the end of every course. The EOC counts towards 15-20% of the student’s final grades. 

Hazelwood West High School has new expectations for the upcoming school year scores. Of all the subjects students take the EOC, the ones students need to improve on the most are Algebra 1, English 2, Biology, and Government. Another way of achieving this goal is Saturday School and tutoring. West’s mission is, “Saturday School sessions will be a review of key skills and concepts being assessed on EOC tests.”

“We start from day one studying for the most part. The English 2 curriculum is built around the idea that the students are going to take a high-stakes assessment.” English 2 teacher, Jason Dinwiddie stated.  

Teachers play an essential role in preparing students for the end-of-course exam. In most classes, the work the teacher provides is similar to the work on the test. Giving students different activities can broaden their mindset and get them prepared for different levels of questions on the EOC.  

“In class, we try to give students more multiplex activities to prepare them for the end-of-course exam. On the test, students will see questions of all levels, so we need to prepare them for more difficult activities.” Dinwiddie said. 

Each year students and teachers alike are reminded how stressful EOC exams can be. The stress of having to remember all the information students learned over the course of many weeks can leave you perplexed. When taking a test students need breaks so they aren’t stressed. According to The University of Chicago, people who excel in a subject can become more stressed than people who don’t, which leads to poor test scores. Solidifying that breaks are necessary when taking tests.

“Taking breaks during the EOC made it easier for me to focus between topics.” Junior, Lily Lord-Starns stated. 

Sleep is a vital key to doing well on the test. While some people believe that staying up all night to study is good for cramming in extra hours of studying, it is not. Poor sleep is common during finals as students cut back on sleep, deal with more stress, use more caffeine and are exposed to more bright light, all of which may disrupt sleep. Fewer than 10% of students maintain the recommended average of eight hours a night or even the recommended minimum of seven hours, previous research shows. 

“Without breaks, taking the EOC will strain your eyes and brain. You need to take breaks and take time for yourself to recover…study your best and you will earn the score you worked for.” Junior, Skylar Stump said.