MCAS tests begin this week. The sixth and seventh grade take the English Language Arts (ELA) MCAS test on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, and the eighth grade takes their ELA MCAS test this Thursday and Friday.

We want all of the students to approach these assessments in a positive and confident frame of mind. Your help makes a huge difference. Here are a few tips:

• Words of encouragement to your child are especially helpful before the assessments and on the day of it.
• Please make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep prior to each test, a healthy breakfast on the morning of each test, and that he or she arrives to school on time.
• Bringing a water bottle or purchasing a bottle of water in the school store in the morning is also recommended.

After a short reprieve, testing will resume the week of May 7 with the sixth and seventh grade taking the math MCAS test on May 7-8, and the eighth grade taking it on May 9-10.

The final test, the Science/Technology/Engineering MCAS test, will be given to the eighth grade only on May 17.