THOMASVILLE — A practice session for the third-grade Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the First Missionary Baptist Church located at 310 West Calhoun St. in Thomasville. The session will be administered by members of the Layman’s Auxiliary of First Missionary Baptist and by area certified teachers.

Dr. Donnell Carley, a member of the Thomasville City Board of Education, helped to organize the event.

“This 96-page practice test session will be held for all area third-grade students only in hopes of helping each child to pass the federally mandated CRCT test in order to enter the fourth grade next year,” he said.

The actual CRCT will be taken at the end of March. Passing is critical for all students who take it.

“This mandated test states that all third-grade students who do not pass the 2003-2004 CRCT test will not be promoted,” Carley said. “In other words, all third-grade students who do not pass the CRCT will remain in the third grade until they do pass.”

Because the test is so important, steps are being taken to make sure third graders are ready, Carley said.

“We need to give all children an equal opportunity to become life-long learners. The test will be graded on site so the students will see their areas of strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “The Thomasville City School System and its administrators have been very helpful in supplying needed materials and information for this practice testing session,” Carley said.

Any certified teachers or volunteers who wish to participate in the practice session should contact Megan Nelson, CRCT practice testing director, at 551-9739 or Linda T. McLean at 227-1700.

Parents who wish to sign their child up for the practice test should contact his or her third grade teacher, or call Cheryl Hay, curriculum director at 225-2600. Students must pre-register for the session, and must be at the First Missionary Baptist Church by no later than 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Late students will not be allowed to attend the session.

Breakfast will be served free of charge from 8 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. Transportation to the sessions can be arranged by calling Arthur Smith, transportation director at 551-9739. For more information call Donnell Carley, CRCT Practice Test Coordinator at 551-9739.