Every year, the students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program are required to take standardized exams that are called papers. These tests are administered mid-spring.  Since IB is an international organization the organization tries to choose testing days that have the least conflict with holidays around the world.  According to Ms. Francis, the IBDP coordinator, this is the earliest she has seen the tests. Because of the early test dates, students had to come in during spring break to take their exams. Thursday April 25th was Physics SL Paper 1 & 3 along with Sports, exercise & health science SL Paper 1 & 3. Friday April 26th was Physics Paper 2, and Sports, exercise and health science SL Paper 2. 31 students took the sports exams and 52 students took physics exams. The dates of the test also forced the foreign exchange trip to change their dates as well. Students left  five days earlier so that they could be back in time to take the test, but still had two days less in Europe.

Although it was tough to come in during the break, there were some advantages. Students only had to come in for the test. When the test is during a school day, students have to go to their other classes before and after the test. It also got two tests out of the way, so more time was freed up to study for the other tests. “It was also a quieter environment to take a test,” said Ms. Francis.

Junior Elizabeth Russo, who took the IB Physics exam, said, “I was disappointed that my foreign exchange was cut short by two days, but it was a good atmosphere to take the tests.”