Schools will be running on a special shortened schedule on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 15 and 16, as High School North and High School South students in their first year of biology classes will be taking the state-mandated New Jersey Biology Competency Test (NJBCT).

Students in all the following courses are eligible to sit for the NJBCT: general biology, life science, resource center biology, college prep biology, honors biology, integrated science, agricultural science, and ESL biology.

School districts advise that although achieving a proficient score on the NJBCT is not a graduation requirement, students should be prepared to do their best.

Students taking AP exams are advised to arrive at school at regular time, and those who are not taking AP or NJBCT exams between May 15 will have a delayed opening to regular classes, starting at 10 a.m. each day.

Testing begins at 7:40 a.m. each day, and test takers must report to their assigned test centers, which was presented during bilogy classes, put on wall charts at each high school, and posted online.

Biology students who are not in attendance for the testing on May 15 and 16 are required to make up the exams on May 17 and 18.