Instead of in the ARC, all tests will be made up in the portable P-7 this year. Administrators are currently organizing the staff needed to run the separate testing center.
The testing center is moving from the Academic Research Center to portable P-7 this year, according to Palo Alto High School administrators.
According to Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson, the goal of switching the location of the testing center is to better supervise the tutors and tutees using the study portion of the ARC.
“The ARC is now going to be a study center and we will keep the testing separately,” he said. “Certain students are going to be required to be in there [the ARC] during certain times so they [the ARC staff] will be able to track them a little easier.”
The ARC itself will remain in the library with the goal of improving the peer tutoring experience for students, according to Maria Lim, co-coordinator of the ARC.
“I plan on giving more tutoring guidance to the tutors and plan on better tracking the tutoring sessions,” Lim said.
Students seem generally encouraged by the change.
“I feel they [the students] would be more focused,” Senior Yusra Beig said. “In the ARC there’s always people opening and closing doors. People would just go there [P-7] to take tests.”
Junior Aaron Slipper said, “It’s probably better because the accommodations will naturally be larger.”
The tentative hours for the ARC will be from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.