Rockledge Cambridge Program NEWSLETTER

April 2025

Survive and Thrive

Important Upcoming Dates

• ACT Test - April 5, June 14, July 12
• SAT Test - May 3, June 7
• Hurricane Make-Up Day: April 18

Cambridge University Botanic Garden

The last nine weeks of a school year are often referred to as the “Home Stretch” or the “Final Push.” It is the time of year when the most important elements of the year are taking place yet motivation levels are typically at their lowest.

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Now is the time when summer begins to call your name and you find yourself daydreaming about sleeping in until noon, hanging out with friends at the beach, or staying up half the night playing video games. Studying and completing assignments soon to begin to feel like chores that you want to put off and maybe even skip entirely.

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Your challenge is to keep the temptation to slack off from taking hold. With your Cambridge exams, EOC exams, and final exams about to begin, you want to make sure you are ready to perform at the highest level on them. You want the work you have put in all year long to reflect in the results you get on those important exams.

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To do this - to survive and thrive - think of the fun and relaxation you will experience this summer as a reward. Make a list of all the things you hope to do this summer and then list the goals you want to achieve academically over the last nine weeks. Once you have both lists, put the goals list on top of the summer fun list. Commit to completing the goals list to the best of your abilities before fulfilling the summer fun list.

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Setting your priorities in order will help you to remember that the school year is not quite done yet. The reward of passing your EOCs, earning “As” in your classes, and putting in your best effort on your Cambridge exams will help you to enjoy your summer even more.

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While it may seem like a lot of work right now, staying focused and committed to your current classes will potentially make your life easier in the long run. Be the best version of yourself now and do not let your dreams of what might be this summer overshadow your current progress.

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Cambridge Testing Need To Know Info

When Does Cambridge Testing Start?

• Some AICE classes - like AICE Music, AICE Sports and Physical Education, AICE Spanish Language, and AICE Global Perspectives - have coursework. You may have already begun work on one of those testing components. Coursework components for tests have specific due dates established by Cambridge. The teachers in these AICE classes will let you know when your coursework is due.
• The first sit down Cambridge exam that is not coursework is the AICE Information Technology practical on April 16.

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Where Does Cambridge Testing Take Place?

• Most Cambridge testing takes place in the gym. There are a few tests that will take place in other locations, but you will get a personalized testing schedule in April that lists each of your testing locations.

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What Should I Bring on Test Days?

• No backpacks or purses are allowed in the testing room (per Cambridge regulations).
• No phones, smart watches, earbuds, or other electronic devices are allowed in the testing room.
• You can bring a calculator (if needed), pens, pencils, colored pencils, and ruler. If you need to store these, you should put them in a clear plastic bag.
• You can bring a bottle of water, Gatorade, or other drink if it is stored in a clear, transparent container with no labels or writing on it.
• What do I do with my phone and backpack while testing? You can leave your bags with a trusted teacher while you are testing OR bring in a lock and use one of the lockers in building 34 to store your items.

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What Is Different About Cambridge Testing?

• All writing on Cambridge exams is done in ink unless you are asked to draw a diagram or create a chart. Yes, this means that even your math exam must be done in ink.
• There ARE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS. Cambridge exams can only be taken on the day and time given to RHS by Cambridge. There are no make-up exams offered, so it is VERY important that you are on time for your scheduled Cambridge exams.
• Cambridge provides all testing materials. The exams are created by Cambridge. And after you take your exam, your test is packaged immediately and sent to Cambridge (yes, in England) for assessment.
• All responses for your Cambridge exams are written either in the test booklet that Cambridge provides or in an answer booklet that Cambridge provides. If the answer booklet is separate from the test booklet, you can use colored pencils to annotate the test questions and any given passages.

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Cambridge Testing Need To Know Info, Cont’d.

What Do I Do If I Have More Than One Test On One Day?

• If you have one test in the morning and one test in the afternoon, there is nothing to do. You’ll take the morning test and then go about your normal schedule until the scheduled time of your afternoon test.
• If you have two tests in the morning or two tests in the afternoon, you’ll choose which of those two exams you want to take first, you’ll take the exam, you’ll have short break, and then you’ll take the second exam.

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What Is the Testing Procedure on Test Day?

• You will report to your assigned testing room at the time given on your testing schedule without any bags or electronic devices.
• Your seat in the testing room is determined by your candidate number. All students who are testing are seated in candidate number order.
• Once the testing room is opened, you will enter quietly, without talking, and find your assigned seat. An index card with your name and candidate number will be on your desk.
• You are required to remain silent without talking for the remainder of the exam. Even when time is called, you are not allowed to talk until all materials have been collected and you are outside the testing room.
• Only one student can be in the restroom at a time, so if you need to use the restroom, you must raise your hand and wait until you are given permission by a proctor to go to the restroom.

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How Are Cambridge Exams Scored?

• Each question on an AICE (or Pre-AICE) exam is worth a certain number of points. At the end of each question, Cambridge will tell you how many points the question is worth. The number of points a question is worth usually indicates how much you should write. A 1 point question will usually require only a few words (or a short sentence) for your response. A 10-point question will usually require several paragraphs. A 25-point question might require several hundred word answers.
• Cambridge has specific mark schemes (rubrics) for each exam. The examiners with Cambridge who score exams will use those mark schemes to determine how many points you score on the exam when they grade it.

Test Proctor Volunteers Needed

Are you a registered volunteer or a registered substitute teacher with Brevard Public Schools? Do you have some time to spare on any of the dates below?

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If you answered yes to both of these questions, Mrs. Matthews would love to have your help with AICE testing. She is looking for volunteers who want to come in and help proctor AICE exams. No experience necessary. You will be one of several proctors in the testing room, and your primary responsibility will be monitoring students as they test.

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You can volunteer for one date or multiple dates. If you are interested, please contact Mrs.

Matthews as soon as possible at matthews.katie@brevardschools.org

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** If you are a registered substitute teacher who would like to work a few days as a paid test proctor, please email Mrs. Matthews as well.

Dates Proctors Needed:

• Friday, April 25 from 8:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
• Monday, April 28 from 8:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
• Tuesday, April 29 from 8:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
• Tuesday, April 29 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 30 from 8:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
• Thursday, May 1 from 8:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
• Thursday, May 1 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Monday, May 5 from 8:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
• Monday, May 5 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 6 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 8 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Monday, May 12 from 12:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 13 from 8:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
• Monday, May 19 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Steps To Help Test Anxiety

The high school Spring testing season is about to begin. The next 2 months will require many of our students to take multiple exams and it can be a physically and mentally exhausting time. While the responsibility of administering and taking the tests falls on school staff and students, there are ways parents can help their students feel more comfortable and confident about their testing. Consider these ideas to help alleviate the stress your student may be feeling during the upcoming testing season.

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How Parents Can Help Students During Testing Season

Healthy Eating

Know Your Student’s Schedule

A healthy, nutritious breakfast each morning during the Spring testing session is one way parents can help students be ready to perform at their best. A healthy breakfast provides students with the essential energy and nutrition needed to help them focus during testing. Plus, a filling breakfast can help students from feeling hungry in the midst of a test - a distraction that can disrupt student thinking and progress.

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You should also consider sending your student to school with a healthy snack - like a banana or orange, a granola bar, popcorn, graham crackers, or trail mix - and a bottle of water so that they can keep their energy and concentration levels up all day.

To help make sure your student is fully prepared on test days,

create a calendar of test dates that you can keep in a central location in your home. You can help make sure your student gets enough sleep and wakes up on time in preparation for tests. You will also know when your student is likely to feel the most stressed and spend the most time studying for exams.

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Take the time to talk to your student about their feelings on upcoming exams and take note if they are starting to seem overwhelmed. If they do seem overly stressed, help them to know when to take breaks and relax.

Celebrate Milestones

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One of the best ways to encourage students to give their best on tests is to give them something to look forward to. Recognize the hard work that your student has put in all year long as they put their learning into practice.Consider how you can help your student celebrate during this testing season. Maybe it is a pizza night after the first day of testing or having their favorite ice cream for dessert after dinner on the nights they have exams or perhaps you can have a Friday night family movie night after a week of tests.

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The testing season can seem more manageable when students have goals to meet and opportunities to celebrate the work they have put in.

"April showers bring May flowers" is a perfect metaphor for the testing season and its outcomes. Just as the rain in April nourishes the soil, helping flowers bloom in May, the challenges and effort put into studying and preparing for exams (the "showers") lead to growth, success, and achievement (the "flowers") in the future.

During testing season, students endure stress, hard work, and sometimes even setbacks—much like a rainy, gloomy April. But all that dedication and persistence pay off when the results come in, bringing a sense of accomplishment, opportunities, and new beginnings—just like the beautiful blooms of May.

This is a reminder that the struggles of preparation are temporary, but the rewards of perseverance last much longer.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Easing Into Public Speaking

Speaking in front of a group can be a challenging experience for anyone. No matter how experienced you might be in speaking in front of groups, public speaking can cause anyone to feel stressed and perhaps even a little anxious. When you are asked to speak in front of group - whether it be a small group of classmates, an entire classroom, or a filled auditorium - the stress you feel can lead to mental blocks and decreased confidence in your abilities.

There are ways, however, to combat the anxious feelings that you might begin to experience when you are in a situation where you have been asked to speak in front of a group.

1. Prepare and Practice

If you have been assigned a public speaking assignment, create a plan for how to prepare. Give yourself enough time to think about what you want to say, create an outline of your key points, and time to practice. Start by practicing in front of small groups of trusted friends or family members. The more you practice, the more confident you will be in the content of your speech.

2. The Power of the Pause

Speaking slowly and practicing deep breathing can calm your nervous system in seconds. When you speak in front of a group, aim to take your time instead of rushing through the material. This will give your audience more time to understand the information and will help you feel less anxious. Also remember that intentional pauses can emphasize important points. It is okay to stop for a moment to breathe in, breathe out, and gather your thoughts before continuing your speech.

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3. Bring A Fidget

One problem many people encounter when having to speak in front of group is not knowing what to do with your hands as you speak. If you don’t have a podium to place your hands on, then consider bringing a small item like a rock, a folded piece of paper, a bit of Play-Doh, or a mini stress ball with you. You don’t want to the item to make noise or become a distraction for your audience, but holding the item can help you channel your nervous energy and keep you focused on what you want to say.

4. Remember that No One Is Perfect

Many people are scared of public speaking because they worry about making a mistake and embarrassing themselves. Even the most accomplished public speakers have blundered a time or two, so if you mess up while you are speaking, don’t let it worry you. Just keep going.

Seniors who are hoping to earn Bright Futures MUST complete the required number of community service and/or paid work hours by the day of graduation. For seniors aiming to earn the highest level of Bright Futures, you need to submit log sheets showing at least 100 completed community service and/or paid work hours. For seniors aiming to earn the lower level of Bright Futures, you need to submit log sheets showing at least 75 completed community service an/or paid work hours.

In addition to your community service and/or paid work hours, you also need to submit a proposal. The proposal is a document that outlines what you are planning to do for your hours and how it will benefit you and the community. Any community service and/or paid works hour log sheets that are submitted cannot be processed until a proposal form is submitted.

Proposal forms and log sheets can be found in the guidance office. Completed proposal forms and log sheets should be turned in to the guidance office.

Not sure if you have submitted your proposal form and have the required number of hours? Check with your guidance counselor or Mrs. Matthews.

Seniors - Turn in Your Community Service and/or Paid Work Hours

Seniors - Dates to Remember

• Grad Bash - April 5
• Prom - April 26
• Baccalaureate Service - May 4 - 4 p.m. - Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church
• Powder Puff - May 9
• Graduation - May 22**

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**If you have an AICE test that is scheduled to take place after May 22, you will not receive your RHS diploma until you complete ALL of your AICE testing requirements. RHS will hold your diploma until you complete your Cambridge AICE testing requirements and it will be available for you to pick up immediately after your last AICE exam.

Once you have decided upon the college or university you plan to attend after graduation, you will need to send an transcript of your AICE exam scores to that college or university. Below are the directions for the ONLY way to have your scores sent to the college or university of your choice. You want your chosen school to receive your scores before your orientation, so go ahead and complete this process now (or as soon as you have accepted a seat at a school).

Information you will need to complete the transcript request form:

1. The RHS centre number: US091
2. Your 4-digit candidate number (the same number you put on all your Cambridge tests. This can be found in the bottom right corner of your official AICE certificate OR you can contact Mrs. Matthews)
3. The dates (month and year) when you took and passed AICE exams. Remember that fall testing considered to be November and Spring testing is considered to be June. For seniors, remember to include JUNE 2025 if you are taking an AICE exams in the upcoming testing session..
4. A scanned copy of your driver’s license, birth certificate, or the photo page of your passport.
5. The contact information for the college or university you plan to attend.
6. A credit card to cover the transcript fee.

To complete the transcript request, you will need to go to this website:

https://gradetranscripts.cambridgeinternational.org

Important reminders about completing this form:

• Save any username and password you create. You will be able to track the status of your requests, including confirmation and delivery dates, on the site with that username and password.
• Save any emails you receive from Cambridge after submitting your form.
• Each time you change colleges/universities, you will have to submit a request to have your Cambridge scores sent to that new university/college. Even if your credits are a part of an underlying degree (like an associate or bachelor’s degree), you will have to send a Cambridge transcript to your new college/university.

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Seniors - Sending AICE Score Transcripts to Colleges

Support the Class of 2028

You choose the design and the type of shirt you want!

Cambridge Spring Testing Schedule

IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT CAMBRIDGE TESTING:

• Dates and times are set by Cambridge and can not be changed by RHS.
• There are NO MAKE-UPS. Students MUST to be present for testing on their assigned testing dates.
• Students in AICE classes are required to take the exams for those AICE classes.
• Pre-AICE tests are OPTIONAL and not required.

Over the last few weeks, many of our RHS students have been putting their knowledge and skills to the test in several different competitions. We want to celebrate their successes and highlight the hard work these students have undertaken.

Raiders For the Win

State Science and Engineering Fair

In Lakeland, Florida, thousands of students competed over a grueling two days of competition and shared their science and engineering projects with some fo the leading scientific minds in the world. Please congratulate the following students:

• Holly Overholser - 2nd place Math and Computational Science
• Sarah Nazareth - 5th place Biomedical Sciences
• Rachel Hughes - 6th place iAnimal Science
• Ben Duong - competed in Microbiology

State Thespian Competition

Members of the RHS Troupe 5244 competed in the State Thespian Competition over Spring Break and brought back several honors. Please congratulate the following students:

• Earned Perfect Score and Top Honors in Set Design - Averi Boyer
• Earned Perfect Score and Top honors in Theatre Marketing Design - Isabella Silva
• Earned Superior in Solo Acting - Alexandra Boveil
• Earned Superior in Duet Acting - Alexandra Boveil and Jacob Camodeca
• Earned Superior in Ensemble Acting - Finn Hobert, Avery Price, and Joseph Hamilton
• Earned Superior in Playwriting - Link Heaslet
• Earned Superior in Playwriting - Isabella Silva
• Earned Perfect Acting Score and a Superior for the one act play “Down Came the Rain” - Jacob Camodeca, Justin Kracht, Nick Tecua, Link Heaslet, Averi Boyer, Breanna Wright, Ely Garcia-Sanchez, Keira Davis, Zachary Grandey, Sebastian Guignardi, Ashley Merrick
• Earned Excellent in Small Group Musical - Caylen Sims, Sophia Martz-Chroniger, and Jacie Brown

DID YOU KNOW?

TEST YOUR AICE KNOWLEDGE

Check out these questions from a previous AICE Physics test and see if you could answer it correctly. Question 1 is worth 1 point. Question 2 is worth 2 points.

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the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge houses over half a million artefacts and art from around the world. A visit to the museum will allow you to see everything from Egyptian coffins to impressionist masterpieces; from illuminated manuscripts to Renaissance sculpture; from rare coins to Asian arts.

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Some of the museum’s collections highlights are an 1891 Les Peupliers by Claude Monet, the 1571 oil painting Tarquin and Lucretia by Tiziano Vecellio, a Nakhtefmut’s mummy case, and a complete German armor from the late 16th century.

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Answers

1. maximum speed = 7.2 10 ⁴ / 1800 = 40 m s ^–1
2. kinetic energy = ½ mv²
3. = ½ x 1800 x 40²
4. = 1.4 x 10⁶ J

A car of mass 1800 kg is moving in a straight line. Fig 2.1 shows the variation of time t of the momentum p of the car.

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1. Calculate the maximum speed reached by the car.
2. Calculate the maximum kinetic energy of the car.

April SPORTING EVENTS

Looking for something to do? Want to show your school spirit? Come out to one of the April sporting events and support the Raiders as they play their favorite sports.

The P.A.S.S. Club tutoring hours are from 8:00 am to 8:40 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Come Join us as a tutor or to be tutored. For more information, see Mrs. Krajewski in room 34-312.

Pre-AICE & AICE Class Tutoring Permission Form

In order to participate in any form of tutoring before or after school with a pre-AICE or AICE teacher, students MUST have a signed permission form on file. Copies of the forms were emailed to all parents. If you have not turned in a form, please get it signed and returned to Mrs. Matthews or any Cambridge teacher. Forms can be submitted electronically to Mrs. Matthews at matthews.katie@brevardschools.org