UXBRIDGE — Superintendent Michael Baldassarre, Whitin Intermediate School Principal Leanne Demarcoand Department of Technology and Digital Learning Director Jessica Brittingham report that MCAS testing at Whitin Intermediate School has been put on hold following an incident that occurred this morning in which a student was injured after a school-owned laptop malfunctioned.
On Tuesday, April 9, at approximately 9:30 a.m., a school-owned laptop provided to a student taking a scheduled ELA MCAS exam malfunctioned and began smoking, prompting a building evacuation.
The student suffered burns on their hands and was taken to an area hospital by their guardian for medical treatment.
The fire alarm was activated by staff shortly after. All students and staff evacuated the building safely and without incident. The Uxbridge Fire Department responded to clear and ventilate the building, and students and staff returned to the building by 10:45 a.m. MCAS testing was stopped during this time.
Previously scheduled ELA MCAS testing for grade 3 proceeded as normal at the Taft Early Learning Center. This is the only other MCAS testing that was scheduled to take place during this time.
ELA MCAS testing for Whitin Intermediate School students in grades 4-7 has been put on hold until further notice. School Administration and the Department of Technology and Digital Learning are working internally, and with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), to determine a plan for testing to move forward.
District administration and the Department of Technology and Digital Learning are also working with the laptop supplier to determine the safety of the devices for future testing and how the laptop malfunctioned.
Updates regarding ELA MCAS testing will be shared with Whitin Intermediate School families as soon as they are available.
“The safety of our students is paramount and we will be taking the necessary steps to ensure that something like this does not occur in the future,” said Superintendent Baldassarre. “We would like to recognize the quick response of the staff members in the library who worked to evacuate students quickly and safely as well as the Uxbridge Fire Department who responded to the scene.”
###