Bardwell staff cut sick beat to help kids face testing season

Over the past few months, rumors had swirled within college and career readiness circles that Bardwell might be set to release a PARCC-themed video for the fourth straight year.

Several observers with ties to the K-12 assessment community reported creative dancing taking place on Bardwell's third floor.

The lyrics to the new Bardwell song reportedly weave examples of similes and hyperbole into the 26-year-old pop star's 2014 hit song, while transforming the chorus into a call for good testing habits:

" 'Cause the test is gonna ask for point of view,

And I know I'll have to use those context clues,

Just to figure out words I don't know.

I'll think it through, think it through."

East Aurora School District 131 staff did confirm that PARCC testing began without incident in East Aurora schools April 4 and will continue through April 29. However, there were conflicting reports about whether the Bardwell bear makes a glitter-covered cameo in the music video.

People with knowledge of the situation indicate that the video debuted in the school's gym to an exclusive group of all third-, fourth- and fifth-graders April 4. Sources confirmed that the students loved seeing their teachers acting goofy.

"They get excited. We tell them that we are working on the video but we don't tell them anything about it," said fifth-grade teacher David Babyar. "We push the kids and want them to do really well on the test but we also need something to help them have fun with it."

This is the fourth year that Bardwell staff has posted a music video. In 2013, the staff sung "Test Me, Baby," a parody of "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen. In 2014, the staff produced "Slow Down the Time (ISATs)," a new take on Selena Gomez's song, "Slow Down." Last year, the staff sang "Uptown PARCC," inspired by Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars song "Uptown Funk."

Dozens of Bardwell staff members appear in this year's video, which prominently features staff members: Babyar, Steven Huffman, Lauran Jordan, Lisa Metcalfe, Laurie Ross, and Catherine Zinzer. Former Bardwell teacher Kelley Hibschman once again provided the vocals for the video.