Elvis part of 'Rock the Test' assembly at Morgan Elementary

By Maggie Blackwell

mblackwell@salisburypost.com

Girls blushed. Guys clapped and swayed with the music. Elvis was in the house.

Doesn't sound like elementary school, does it?

Michael Thomas, aka Elvis, rocked the house with his glittery costume, gold shades, and smooth tunes on Friday. Thomas' son, Nicholas, is a third-grader at Morgan, but he didn't get to see his dad sing at school. He checked out of school sick.

"I think he didn't want to see his dad sing at school," Thomas joked.

Thomas sang several songs, jokingly dancing with students and teachers. The background music was instrumental only – he sang the songs himself. His tone and style were amazingly like the original.

Although these kids are too young to have seen the original Elvis, they seemed awestruck by this one. They clapped, moved to the music and hollered as he sang, "Blue Suede Shoes,"

The "Rock the Test" assembly was organized by Morgan principal Susan Sigmon, guidance counselor Betsy Crowell and others.

"We recognize the tests are accompanied by a lot of stress," Sigmon said. "We want to have the kids relax a little and realize they are loved regardless. Our big focus is. 'Don't give up when things are hard.' "

Sigmon takes it all so seriously she may be eating bugs next week.

She has offered to eat a bug for each grade that has no absences on each day of testing. Grades three, four and five take the test on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

That's a possibility of nine bugs. What's her favorite kind of bug? Dead, she says, and, not crunchy.

Hmm. She says students have brought her potential specimens for several days now. She will eat said bugs on the school-wide TV next Friday morning.

At Friday's assembly, fourth-graders performed EOG cheers they made up themselves, like Ms. Berge's: "When I say, E-O, you say, G! E-O-G, E-O-G! We're gonna bust that EOG! EOG! EOG!"

Kids whooped, hollered and clapped.

The assembly ended a week of anticipation for the tests. Students received colored wristbands earlier in the week inscribed with, "Rock the Test."

Each morning's announcements have included test taking tips. Students received packages of "Smarties" candy with encouragement stapled on: "Be a Smartie – Rock the Test."

Next week, all students will receive breakfast in their classrooms. New pencils printed with "Do Your Best on Every Test" are being provided for students.

Student Council officers Landon Goodman, Ashley Mayhew and Caroline Plyler, along with Ashley Haid agreed test-taking can be stressful. They all try to go to bed on time and eat a healthy breakfast. "A lot of kids might freak out and get all scared about the test," Landon said. "The pep rally is a way to have fun with it."Elvis closed the assembly with words of wisdom: "You can go as far in life as you like if you try your best. Remember a good education is a firm foundation. É And that's all Elvis has to say about that."