This week seems a little off, in case you weren't aware.

Chorus was gone the first two days, yesterday was D.A.R.E.

Not even the Morning Work was right, on Tuesday, there was none!

Not even a Morning Poem! How DID you survive without one?

The rest of the week will be weird, too. Our schedule will be a mess.

Because you-know-who is coming back . . . that's right. The Benchmark Tests!

But, there have been a couple changes (they're still graded the same way),

but, they are handling the scores you get in an entirely different way.

For every question that you miss, they pull a hair out of your nose.

I know that it will probably hurt, but that's just the way it goes.

If you fail a Benchmark Test (that's 59 or less),

You're sent by bus to a farm up North, where you grade the FCAT tests.

If you score above a sixty, but still in the 'D' range,

your entire schedule will then be rearranged.

You'll be tested day and night, even while you snore!

Because the solution to a bad test, is to test you even more!

From seventy to eighty, which works out to a 'C',

You get a pat on the back from Mrs. Collins and Mr. Martignetti.

A grade of 'B' on a Benchmark test is kind of a sweet deal.

Mr. Helmkamp will take you to a fancy restaurant, and buy you an expensive meal!

But, if you score over ninety, it's the greatest prize of all!

And you can't buy it anywhere, not even at the mall.

It's not an Ipod or Playstation, not an Xbox or a Wii.

If you get an 'A' on a Benchmark Test, you'll get a big hug from me!

Now, I know a hug from me is not really a big prize.

I could tell by seeing the disappointment in your eyes.

So here's the deal; Just relax and do your very best.

And don't worry about a thing. It's just another test.