Students at North Judson-San Pierre Elementary are ready to rock the ISTEP. Exams begin this week. On Friday teachers took a break from instruction for fun activities like movies, healthy snacks and class parties. The day was capped off by a rock concert on the high school football field from the ISTEP Crüe. The band consisted of principal Mike McBride, aka James Michaels, on guitar and lead vocals, drummer Tommy Lee Wilbanks, better known to many students as computer teacher Bob Wilbanks, and guidance counselor Chuck Rebeck, moonlighting as Crüe bassist Chucky Sixx. They jammed out to tunes like “Born to Take ISTEP,” “Keep on Testing Me Baby,” “Rock ‘n Roll All Nite (and ISTEP Every Day) and the always popular “Takin’ Care of ISTEP Business.”
McBride says it’s important to show elementary school students the faculty and staff care about and love them and want them to be successful. He says they also ask them to represent the school well in whatever they do. That includes everything from going on field trips to doing their best on the ISTEP.
He adds the entire school community has worked hard to get ready for the upcoming exam. The teachers have mapped the curriculum to make sure materials on the test are covered in the classroom. McBride says the kids’ job is to learn it and then try their hardest. He stresses they should never give up on the test, even though it’s very easy to just start marking anything on the computer.
He adds events like Friday’s concert help set a good tone for the testing period.
McBride adds events like Friday’s concert help set a good tone for the testing period.
“I think just by doing special things like this it keeps the focus that we’re asking them to do the best they can do. Nothing more, nothing less. Just the best they can do. I think that’s good practice for life,” McBride said.
More photos from Friday’s ISTEP Crüe concert are posted on the WKVI Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152729553626507.1073741851.369157981506&type=1
