Reinforcing test skills and needed concepts

Regents prep at Lawrence’s Weekend Academy

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At a time when most people are relaxing or starting chores, several teachers and students are in classrooms at Lawrence High School for three consecutive weekends in January and four weekends late in the school year to prepare for the New York State Regents Exams.
Known as Weekend Academy, Saturday and Sunday review classes are held on Regents subjects such as earth science, chemistry, English, algebra, geometry and social studies in three 90-minute sessions from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The classes are free and open to any student in the Lawrence School District.
Running for a majority of the past 15 years, Weekend Academy helps students take a subject Regents for the first time, retake a test they previously failed or for advanced eighth-graders get a head start on academic achievement.
“Over the years we’ve seen more kids take advantage of it,” said Lawrence High Principal Dr. Jennifer Lagnado. “Any extras we can give the children it helps.”
Lagnado said enrollment in the classes varies depending on the class. Some classes on Jan. 17 had a half dozen students and some classes could have as many as 30 students. Lagnado said it depends on how many students are taking a specific Regents. In June, when more Regents exams are given, the amount of students attending review sessions increases, she said. Regents Week is Jan. 26-30 this month.

Currently there are 18 Lawrence district teachers involved in Weekend Academy including social studies teacher Margaret Foy, who is one of the teachers in charge this session. Foy ensures her colleagues are in
their assigned classrooms and that the students get to the right class.
“The review benefits the students, they constantly ask questions and the weekend teachers even help the students during the week,” Foy said.
According to former Lawrence High Principal Steve Kussin the Weekend Academy was established in 1999, a time when nationwide thee was what he called “a question of achievement” in the ninth grade centering on earth science. He said bolstering achievement was not a Five Towns problem then, but maintaining or exceeding it was the reason for creating the academy.
“I am delighted to see that the academy still exists, I am of the belief that the U.S. school day and school are too short,” Kussin said. “It is really great that there is a reinforcement of skills and concepts that need to be learned.”
Teachers apply a variety of methods to review a school year’s worth of material in a very brief amount of time. Foy said reviewing the test questions and the vocabulary that is used is a good way for students to learn how to answer the questions. “We break down the questions individually and go over the choices,” she said.
Social studies teacher Stephen Sullivan said he reviews the multiple-choice questions and the numbers of ways the same question can be asked. Regarding the writing portion, Sullivan said he spends time helping students write the first two sentences of the initial paragraph and like Foy, teaching the vocabulary used, especially with a diverse student population in the review classes that includes general education, Special Education and ESL (English as a second language) students.
“These are our people coming here to teach our kids,” said Sullivan, who has been teaching Weekend Academy students for the past six years. “This is a very good allocation of resources.”