Case Study: The Fessenden School

Scott Duddy is the Director of Admissions and Enrollment at Dexter Southfield and the former Associate Director of Secondary School Counseling at The Fessenden School in Newton, Massachusetts. As a dedicated educator with over ten years of admissions and teaching experience, Scott actively engages with students and families to understand their long-term education goals and learn how schools, like Fessenden, can best contribute to a successful outcome.

To aid him in this process, Scott leveraged Test Innovators’ online assessment and reporting tools to inform each student’s individualized path forward. The Fessenden School integrated the Test Innovators program into the curriculum early in the school term. Starting an ISEE or SSAT practice program closer to the beginning of the calendar year enables educators to receive critical information upfront, allowing them to effectively blend test prep with academic growth. In fact, many schools have discovered advantages to offering test prep year-round, especially over the summer months. As Scott stated:

“We’ve found it effective to uncouple the stress aspect that has historically been associated with standardized tests and reframe the concept of test practice into a personal growth mindset.”

According to Scott, this early start date paved the way for positive collaboration between the school and families, who were able to solidify an effective preparation plan for each student. Starting early gave Fessenden students a strategic advantage, but more importantly, it facilitated their long-term growth and development. Scott put it this way:

“One of the byproducts I saw was that Test Innovators enabled us to engage in earlier and more meaningful and substantive conversations between students and teachers and was helpful in channeling parent’s energies productively.”

The Challenge

All too often, bright and capable students lack the test-taking experience or strategies to demonstrate their true knowledge on test day. Over the years, Fessenden had students who took the SSAT and did not score as well as they were capable of. These students were often tremendous candidates for several reasons, but testing proved challenging for them and revealed an area for growth. Scott discussed how Test Innovators helped:

“The Test Innovators platform enabled students to gain confidence by retaking tests and seeing the measured level of improvement derived from their studies. Actionable steps and quantifiable results all within the framework of an open platform that allowed us to better advise the parents and the student. Those students who started the online service months in advance-–say, over the summer-–saw measurable improvement if they were consistent in their usage. The online platform gave appropriate visibility to drill down to a layer that allowed everyone to work together as a team. The benefit was seen in vastly improved test results and contributed to overall academic success.”

The Opportunity

Test Innovators provides schools with student metrics and actionable insights to guide students as they prepare for the test. Pairing the platform with an educator can help students prepare for the ISEE or SSAT in a measured, age-appropriate, and balanced way. Scott recounted the following:

“It’s amazing how many parents will go online using Test Innovators and are, first, amazed at the amount of information that can be gleaned during the full-length practice tests, and, second, are amazed by the caliber of questions their son (or daughter) is being asked on the test. I think they haven’t quite wrapped their heads around the depth and breadth of these questions until they see them, so it aids their understanding of what their child is going through in a far more meaningful way. From the student side, Fessenden helps them learn how to articulate, self-assess, and navigate an uncertain future. The Test Innovators platform gives secondary school counselors individualized information to help them reflect on how they are preparing for the test and how best to attack the problem in a way that is measured and balanced, not just trying to cram everything in at the last moment. There’s a social/emotional relevance to it as well that’s very age appropriate.”

Strategic Counseling

Test Innovators allows schools to incorporate student-related insights into the high school placement conversation when appropriate. The educator tools offer administrators complete control over what information is shared and with whom. This encourages productive dialogue and may expose families to schools they didn’t realize were great options for them. Scott said:

“Test Innovators enables school counselors to engage in a way that is grounded in analytics, but ultimately connects to the conversation of fit, feel, and comfort for the student’s future direction. It is part of a holistic curriculum that’s woven together for students. The platform has been tremendous in delivering timely insights.”

About Fessenden

The Fessenden School is an independent boys’ boarding and day school for students in Pre-K through 9th grade. For more than 100 years, The Fessenden School has offered state-of-the-art facilities, curriculum, and programs specifically designed to meet the educational needs of boys.