Fall 2017
Test Prep App Designed to Boost SAT/ACT Scores Ray Dass, a leading expert in test prep, developed the SARA app seven years ago. His program has helped over 50,000 students boost their SAT and ACT scores. SARA is a comprehensive test prep application designed to increase academic performance and achievement and to boost scores on the SAT and ACT. CADEMIC All freshmen began using this highly anticipated D E P A R T M E N T app on August 21 in their math and English classes and will continue to use it through their junior year.
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We anticipate that the freshmen who began the program this year will experience higher PSAT/SAT/ACT scores than we have seen in the past and improve their acceptance chances at top universities. Those students selected to participate in the higher-tiered MERIT program their sophomore year will enhance their chances of qualifying to be a national merit scholar. After integrating test prep practice into our curriculum over the past five years and not seeing the results we had hoped for, we chose to adopt Ray Dass’ program as an additional way to help our students’ test scores go from good to great. Over the past years, our standardized test scores, which are well above state and national averages, have remained relatively constant. We hope to see results like the ones the Sun Sentinel reported for American Heritage, a college prep school in South Florida. In a period of five years, the school’s number of National Merit Scholars catapulted them to a #1 ranking in the state. Freshmen will spend a minimum of 20-30 minutes a week working on language arts and math skills. The work done in the app will count for 5% of each quarter grade in both math and English classes. Feedback is instantaneous; the program allows students to work at their own pace as it moves them through the 32-hour program. Students will have ample opportunity to practice the fundamental skills crucial for mastering all sections of the high stakes standardized tests. More than 400 videos, narrated by Ray Dass himself, are also included to provide students with specific tutorials they may need to successfully answer the questions. Use of the videos ensures consistency of instruction and student accountability is ensured with the grade component. Extra help sessions with Ray Dass personnel via Adobe Connect take place on Thursday nights from 6:00-8:00 pm.
Contact Information Main Office: 904-398-7545 Fax: 904-398-5728 Mailing Address: 1055 Kingman Avenue Jacksonville, FL 32207 Website: www.bishopkenny.org Office Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:00–3:30
Bishop Paul F. Tanner Chapel Schedule Mass: 7:10AM, Monday-Friday Confession: • Every Wednesday during all lunch mods • Throughout the day on First Fridays Eucharistic Adoration: All day on the First Friday of each month. Students, parents, faculty, and staff are welcome to participate.
Freshmen will take the PSAT this October and again in October 2018. The Ray Dass program will identify those students whose scores indicate they have the greatest potential to qualify as a National Merit Scholar. These students will be invited to participate in an intensive MERIT program held in the spring of their sophomore year. This intensive program, which will require mandatory sessions outside of school hours, entails approximately 30 additional hours of specialized preparation. MERIT will resume in the fall of their junior year in preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2019. Students will work an additional 40-60 hours to refine work on their verbal and math skills. The students who do not qualify for MERIT during their sophomore year will continue to benefit from using the SARA app Level 2 their sophomore year and Level 3 their junior year, as will the MERIT group. Even after students have taken the PSAT in 2018, they will continue work with SARA using the BOOST track to finish preparation for the SAT and ACT exams so crucial to acceptance at many colleges and for scholarship consideration. The Class of 2021 will, without a doubt, have the best test preparation any school could provide its students. We look forward to the great things to come as we assist our students in reaching their potential and equip them with the skills they will need to be successful in college and life. For more info on the Ray Dass Program: http://raydassprep.com/