Some AP exams to be virtual, TESD stays

5% increase in Pa turn P ike tolls

As of Jan. 8, all tolls on the PA turnpike increased their charges by 5%. The increase will help fund improvements, including a project to widen the turnpike along a two-mile stretch from four to six lanes. The average toll will increase from $1.70 to $1.80 for E-ZPass customers and from $4.10 to $4.40 for Toll By Plate customers.

chester county Parks receive $4.67 million

Governor Tom Wolf announced grants for two projects, totaling $4.67 million for Crebilly Farm and Hidden River Park and Preserve in Westtown and East Pikeland Township, respectively. Wolf secured this money from the federal government’s Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Zoning change aPProves new luxury living com P lex in t redyffrin

In December, Tredyffrin Township supervisors voted 4-3 in favor of a zoning change that is allowing for LifeTime to build multi-family residential facilities on Swedesford Road. Originally, the land was zoned for business offices. LifeTime is planning to build 196 one to two bedroom units with garage parking and use of all of LifeTime athletics’ amenities. It will also provide a green roof and stormwater control.

F Irst Female D Istrict A Ttorney Announces Bid For Judge Seat

Deborah Ryan, Chester County’s first female District Attorney, is one of 13 candidates running for the county’s Common Pleas Judge. She has 20 years of experience as a prosecutor and has been the District Attorney since 2019.

Students across the world took digital AP exams for the first time in College Board history in May 2020. Three years later, College Board is issuing optional digital exams for certain subjects, as part of its larger, ongoing plan to make all AP exams digital.

College Board’s digital AP exams during the COVID-19 pandemic faced backlash for their adjusted format. A group of California lawyers filed a class-action lawsuit against the College Board on behalf of students who experienced technical difficulties while testing.

Most tests in 2020 consisted of one or two 45-minute sections of free-response questions, as opposed to the traditional format of a two to three-hour-long test with various question types. Senior Joely Pothier found that the most detrimental factor of the 2020 tests was the at-home aspect.

“I did take some AP exams in May of 2020. Luckily, I didn’t have any technical difficulties, but I found it super hard to focus since I was literally just in my room and had to test on my computer for hours straight,” Pothier said.

For junior Lily Jiang who chose to take the AP exams digitally instead of in person in 2021, the process was less smooth than paper testing.

“I know a lot of people couldn’t submit their (tests), and they did retake the test later. Mine submitted, but it was one with an error,” Jiang said. “You had to pick two answer choices, but the system only allowed me to pick one, so then I knew there was something wrong with mine. I submitted it and told my teacher, and she contacted the College Board after.”

This year, College Board is offering digital tests that schools can opt-in to for AP

Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, AP Seminar, AP U.S. History and AP World History: Modern.

College Board is piloting a new software, Bluebook, which it claims will make test day “easier, quicker, and more secure.” One of the company’s goals is to make the digital test as similar to the paper test as possible.