Sophomore Maddie McCluskey prepared in various ways before last week’s state-mandated Algebra II end-of-course exam.

“I worked on ‘Math Nation’ and worked on all the problems in the packet [math teacher Susan] Orton gave me,” McCluskey said.

McCluskey said she believes she performed OK on the test, but some areas could have been better.

“I think I did fairly well. I don’t think I failed it. However, there was some material that I did not know,” she said. “The last two sections we learned in class showed up a lot on the exam, so I wish I had more time to learn the material.”

Sophomore Jessie Shaw was taken by surprise when she was told she was required to take the EOC.

“I took math online this semester,” she said. “I started in the second semester, so I had to sign a contract saying I would finish by the end of May,” Shaw said. “I was told that I would not have to take the EOC until the beginning of my junior year.”

However, when the students who were taking the class at West Shore took the test, Shaw was expected to take it as well.

“I was caught off guard,” she said. “No one told me I was going to have to take the exam now. [Assistant Principal Lisa] Kratz called me down telling me I had to take the exam,” Shaw said. “I tried to explain the situation to her, but she still made me take it.”

Shaw said she would have performed better on the exam if she were given more notice.

“If I were to be told before the morning of the exam that I would have to take it, I would have done much better,” Shaw said. “I would have spent time reviewing and making sure I did well on the test, but I was caught off guard so I don’t think I did well.”

By Rachel Stazzone