You can feel it right now.
The energy.
The momentum.
The finish line is in sight.
Our campus is alive—celebrations, performances, big moments… and yes, testing. It’s a full season. A meaningful one.
Because this isn’t just the end of a school year.
It’s the result of a year of growth.
And I want to be very clear—because this matters too much to soften:
A test score is a snapshot. Not a story.
And if we’re not careful, we can start acting like it’s more than that.
I’ve seen students who don’t test well—but can lead, problem-solve, and connect in ways that will carry them further than any standardized assessment ever could.
I’ve seen students who doubt themselves because of a number, when in reality they are showing grit, resilience, and growth every single day.
That’s the danger.
Not the test itself, but what we allow it to define.
At HCA, we don’t operate that way. We never have.
Because our work is grounded in something bigger—our Leadership Mindsets.
We Honor One Another—which means we never reduce a child to a number. Ever.
We believe Clear is Kind—so let’s say it plainly: a score does not measure a child’s worth, potential, or future.
We Coach to Excellence—which means we push for effort, growth, and reflection, not perfection or comparison.
We are Holding the Bar—high expectations are non-negotiable, but they are rooted in growth, not fear.
And we Take Action—we show up, we support, and we do what’s right for kids… even when the system around us pressures something different.
So yes—our students will take these tests. And yes—we expect them to give their very best.
Effort matters.
Focus matters.
Finishing strong matters.
But let me be just as clear on the other side of that: Their worth was never up for measurement.
Not on a test day.
Not on a score report.
Not ever.
Our students are more than a score. They are leaders in the making.
They are thinkers, creators, problem-solvers. They are resilient in ways that no bubble sheet could ever capture.
And they are ours.
So as we move through these final weeks as a Village, this is the call:
Expect their best.
Hold the bar high.
But do not—under any circumstance—let a number define them.
Celebrate effort.
Protect their confidence.
Speak belief into them—again and again.
Because when the tests are over…
When the scores are released…
When the year comes to a close…
What lasts is not the number.
It’s the belief.
And that belief?
That’s what we build at HCA. Every single day. ❤️ I love this work, I love this HCA family and I love being your leader!
-Dr. Ann Marie Taylor