Hewlett-Woodmere students rally together for 'Do No Harm'

“If every school district around us is doing something to help them,” Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education Trustee Shari Amitrano said at a June 14 board meeting, referring to the students in other districts, “why would we not consider doing the same?”

Amitrano was addressing the district’s “Do No Harm” policy, which omits students’ Regents exam grades from their final class averages if they underperform on the state tests.

The board voted 6-1 to extend the policy through the end of the school year.

The Regents exams measure student achievement in high school-level courses. To graduate, they must pass five of the tests: one in each of the four main subjects — English Language Arts, math, science and social studies — and an additional exam of their choice. Students who do well on additional exams can earn Advanced Regents Diplomas.

The score on a Regents exam normally accounts for 20 percent of a student’s final grade. With the “Do No Harm” policy, if the Regents result is not figured in, each quarter’s grade counts for 25 percent of the final grade.

Though the policy has been discussed in social media forums — and is explained on the district’s website — it was detailed by Amanda Kavanagh, the assistant superintendent for teaching, learning and technology, at last week’s meeting.

“I think it’s important to understand that ‘Do No Harm’ means we are not holding our students to the same standards,” Kavanagh said. “If a score helps somebody, it is included in their average. If it doesn’t, it is not factored in.”

The 2022-23 academic year has been notable for its full return to pre-pandemic teaching. There has been no remote instruction, and according to Kavanagh, teachers have been preparing their students for the Regents exams all year.

Before the board voted, students voiced their views on the policy, and why it helps those who experience test anxiety when facing an exam that plays such a big role in their success in a class for the year.

“Some students like myself are just, fairly, not good test takers,” Hewlett sophomore Jordan Sita said. “Some of us think it is unfair that one test can ruin our averages for the whole year. Some students have a 95 average all year and get a 70 on a Regents, and now their average goes from a 95 to the 80s.”

School board President Debra Sheinin spoke to the Herald about the students who came to support the policy.

“It’s great to hear that students are actively voicing their support for the ‘Do No Harm’ policy,” Sheinin said. “By expressing their opinions, they contribute to the discussion and decision-making processes. The decision of the board to implement this policy shows their willingness to prioritize the well-being of students and consider the impact of external circumstances on their academic performances. It’s important to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts made by both the students and the board to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment.”

Although most have put the pandemic behind them, some parents and students say they continue to see its effects on their studies and their state of mind.

Carmen Gerardo, a Hewlett parent of a high school senior who will soon leave for college, spoke emotionally to the board, voicing her support for the policy. A majority of her son’s high school experience, Gerardo said, was overshadowed by the pandemic.

She said she was satisfied that the board approved the extension for the rest of the school year.

“It’s fair, and that’s all you want for your kids, to be a fair playing game,” she said after the vote. “My son was in high school all Covid — that began his freshman year in 2020. People were affected in other ways besides taking a test.”

Gerardo said they lost a family member during the pandemic, and she now has an incoming high school freshman.

“I can’t even possibly imagine students coming in still facing that anxiety,” she said. “A lot of people like to think that Covid is over. You also have a lot of students who are not prepared, and they said themselves, they are not prepared to sit through this exam and to have this exam weighted against (their) average.”

Gerardo, a New York City educator, acknowledged the importance of exams in schools, but said she believed that 20 percent is “unfair.”

According to a policy in the neighboring Lawrence school district, if a student scores between 50 and 64 on one or more Regents exams, he or she can receive a “special appeal” on their transcript.

On the day of the meeting, Valley Stream resident Amil Virani created a petition on Change.org in support of the policy extension. More than 250 people signed it.

“I’m very glad the board of education recognized the need for the ‘Do No Harm’ policy,’” Virani wrote about the Hewlett board. “There was no need for our school district to jump ahead and remove ‘Do No Harm.’”

Have an opinion on the “Do No Harm” policy? Send a letter to jbessen@liherald.com.