One very important tip which will alleviate anxiety from the FCAT  is for the test taker to get a lot of rest. Rest is important and will help a test taker do well on their test. Most students require about 8-9 hours of sleep a night to be considered a healthy amount of sleep. Without rest one may feel tired and irritable which does not constitute proper characteristics of a healthy test taker. If a student doesn’t get enough rest it can also make it hard to think, which can cause a student to misread directions. Some people do not even know if they are sleep deprived so be aware of the following symptoms of sleep deprivation reported by The School District of Palm Beach County; difficulty waking up, inability to concentrate, falling asleep during classes, and feelings of moodiness or depression. So if one is currently experiencing symptoms such as those, begin to change sleeping habits and eliminate the symptoms to be well rested for FCAT.

Continuous balanced meals throughout the days are something that can help a test taker. Studies have shown that students who eat a balanced breakfast do better in school. breakfast provides energy to start the day off right. A good breakfast will get the body going and metabolism running. As reported by The School District of Palm Beach County a balanced breakfast may include; fruit, whole grain toast or cereal, and low fat milk. With a nutritious breakfast the student can focus more on school work and less on a growling stomach. All sugary foods should be avoided for breakfast. Sugar filled foods will cause energy to decline over time and hunger and fatigue will set in. For those who have to catch a bus or need to leave earlier can grab a  quick meal by taking a ready to eat breakfast such as; granola bar, fruits, yogurt, and cereal in to-go package. THere are also foods known to boost concentration and alertness. Fruits have been known to improve memory and brain function because they are high in antioxidants. The School District of Palm Beach County reported that strawberries and blueberries are effective to coordination, concentration, and short-term memory. Dried fruits also raise mental alertness. Calcium is another important vitamins to include in this breakfast, calcium enhances behavior and learning. All in all, eating a balanced and nutritious meal is a key to better test taking skills for students.

Another factor which contributes to better test taking is the clothes the test taker wears. Comfortable clothes are significant when it comes to the FCAT or any other test. Make sure the clothes are fit for the temperature of the classroom, making sure it is not too warm or cold. Make sure clothes aren’t too tight or too lose, this could cause discomfort throughout the day.

In addition, test takers should be on time for school the day of the test. Promptness eliminates stress of rushing and worrying if one may miss the bell. Bus riders will arrive to school at normal time but if one gets to school by foot or bike it is important to leave on time or even a little earlier. This will guarantee prompt arrival to school. It is suggested by The School District Of Palm Beach County that test takers arrive to school 5-10 minutes early. Tardiness or the possibility causes stress and anxiety so make sure to be on time the day of the test.

With FCAT approaching students may find these tips very helpful. Remember to get a good nights rest, eat a balanced meal, dress for comfort, and arrive to school on time. Besides these keys to success remember to come into the test with a positive attitude and look forward to conquering the test. A positive attitude will start the day off right. Thinking positive can cause positive output. Taking all these tips into consideration, West Boca could expect an impressive outcome.

His roommates and he had decided to connect to other Ivy League schools such as Yale, Columbia, and Dartmouth. His online college database spread like wildfire. Unbeknownst to him, the idea would, in time, explode into a raging phenomenon that people of all ages and races will become utterly addicted to. To those who have not yet already read between the lines, the extraordinary sensation in reference is Facebook.

In the infancy of its creation, Facebook had been simply for the means of communication and the sharing of information with friends. Embarking in the year 2004, it had been geared towards those entering college who wished to keep in touch with their high school peers. At the time, it was considered MySpace’s complete opposite, for that site was directed towards the younger set. Facebook possessed a simplistic layout coupled with a few basic goals. The new website was taking the first baby steps of a journey that would erupt into an integral portion of people’s everyday lives.

Fast forwarding now to the year 2010, Facebook has now transformed into a multi-dimensional website that has now acquired several hundred million viewers. It’s the obsessive addiction paired with our immediate gratification that draw individuals towards Facebook. Whether a person is planning on composing a message, chatting with friends, or even writing on another’s wall, people are constantly communicating through various social networks that have been combined on one convenient site. Over time, the age barrier has been broken, for young adults are not the only ones who have hopped on the technological train. As the younger and older generations become more familiarized with ever-evolving technology, they too have found their place among the masses. However, Facebook is no longer just a way of communication for individuals, but a venue for local businesses and booming corporations worldwide. Junior Kalie Marsch comments, “Facebook provides an efficient way for businesses to communicate with the public, while achieving great successes through advertisements as well.” Whether they decide to create a group or fan club for their variety of services, they are guaranteed to lure viewers. In addition, most local or even global businesses are given the opportunity to sell their products directly on site.

While Facebook continues to swoon millions worldwide, people are incessantly involved in the world it has created. Its continuous evolution has not only brought about larger communication availabilities but business success as well. For a website that had started out as a sheer annual college directory, it has flourished into the air that some individuals breathe. As the new saying goes, “One small step for Facebook, one giant leap for the globalization of communication.”

It’s been six years since teachers employed in Palm Beach County received a raise in their salary. The economy has changed drastically, and the cost of living in not only Florida, but across the nation, has gone up. That, however, didn’t stop our school from installing almost a dozen new palm trees in the courtyard. They’re beautiful plants, and they do enhance the look of the school, but that could have been money given to the teachers. They may have been a gift from the school board, because back in 2006, all of the school’s trees were destroyed due to Hurricane Wilma, but the school doesn’t necessarily need palm trees as much as teachers need to live. Another expense that the school board paid for was the March SAT accompanied by The Official SAT Study Guide for all of the juniors taking it. For most juniors this is an unexpected gift from the school board, and they’re happily taking advantage of this opportunity, but most would have paid for the test anyway. The school board could have chosen to pay for only those students who are in a financial predicament, because most people who live in Boca can afford to pay for their own SAT. What’s got most people unhinged is the school board saying there is not enough in the budget to accommodate teacher’s salary raises, but then have plenty of money for planting trees and the SAT.

According to Marc Freeman of the Sun Sentinel, “Records show the average [Palm Beach] county teacher salary is $50,023, below the U.S. average of $54,319. About 7,745 of the district’s 12,291 teachers are paid below the county average, including about 4,570 teachers with salaries under $40,000.” Most teachers are stuck with an outdated salary, as prices go up, their salaries don’t. Because the cost of living in Boca Raton is also a lot higher than its neighboring cities, most teachers are forced to live 15 to 30 minutes away. A first time teacher can’t even afford to live independently in an apartment in Boca. Although, instead of a raise, the school board did offer a $500 bonus to teachers, but most of them instantly declined it. They saw it as an incentive, the school board just want them to “quiet down” for the time being.

The School Board of Palm Beach County needs to redistribute their budget, so that teachers are at the top of their priority list. They’re the fundamental building blocks to education, without them, you have no future.