The Good Calls

I got a phone call from a student this afternoon -- well, she's not quite a student. She was in my room during the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) test back in February. She has otherwise completed her graduation requirements (I'm not sure if this is her 5th year or if she finished everything else up early), and just needed to pass the ELA CAHSEE. She showed up late (since she isn't enrolled in school), but I talked to her a little bit, gave her some encouragement, and then sat in the room until she finished her test.

Afterwards, she came up to me and asked if she could come talk to me about what she should study in order to pass. I had her come by my room the next day after school, and I went over her previous test's results and told her what she should work on. Then, I got her phone number so I could call and remind her about the next test administration.

I called her a week before the next test date, but I didn't hear back from her and I didn't see her in my testing room. (I have so few students left to take the test, I usually get all the overflow students like her.)

Well, she called me today about the message I left her more than a month ago. She had been in Mexico, and so she wasn't around to take the test. I asked her if she had gotten her score report, and she told me she hadn't. I told her I was pretty sure that she had passed. She was incredulous.

"No, really," I told her. "I'm pretty sure I saw you passed, but let me double-check."

"Ms. Scott, don't say that if you don't mean it. You mean I'll be able to graduate?"

"Yes. I'm looking at the score report right now. You scored a 357. You passed."

I love that moment. I love especially when I get to be the one to tell them. Their joy and sense of accomplishment is palpable. She kept on thanking me for helping her. I reminded her that she did the work and earned it herself. But she passed, and I can't wait to see her at graduation.