MCAS Underway in Wilmington

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests are underway in Wilmington and around the state, as students of all ages are taking standardized tests about English and Language Arts.

Superintendent of Schools Joanne Benton said that with the , it's unclear what the impact will be of results from this week's test.

Still, principals in the district used the school's alert system to urge parents to be sure their children got to bed early before the first day of testing so they would be prepared to give their full effort.

"I just want every student to do their best and hopefully see a year's worth of growth for each student," said Benton. "We told students to get a good night's sleep, have a big breakfast, fill in every question and do their best."

MCAS testing consists of multiple choice questions as well as an open response portion.

Wilmington High School Eric Tracy wrote on his blog that all ninth and tenth grade students took a practice exam in January so they'd be prepared for the real thing.

"(Tuesday's) ELA Composition portion of the MCAS assessment went very smoothly," said Tracy.

Benton, who said all of the district's principals met with students in advance to discuss the importance of the test, agreed with Tracy's sentiment.

"MCAS got started off on a good note," said Benton.