650 Students Sit for Regents Exams at MHS:
Sweltering Heat and Mixed Results

( August 15, 2002) On Wednesday, in the midst of a heat wave, about 650 students from all over Westchester County filled Mamaroneck High School for the culminating experience of Summer School – the Regents Exam. “It was hot, the gym was like a cauldron, but it was the smoothest exam in the past three years,” reported Anthony Angotta, Director of the Summer School in Mamaroneck. Some of the students were tucked into classes throughout the building to accommodate their special education needs, but most were arranged in the gym.

Agnotta suggested that the Science and Math students were faring much better than those in English and Social Science who were required to produce essays on their exams. The pass rate appeared to be hovering around fifty percent for the latter group.

Most of these students were in summer school after having failed one or more courses during the year. Asked how his students fared on the exams, one obviously exhausted and discouraged Global History teacher replied, “They didn’t do well. There were some who passed, but…” Waxing philosophical, he sighed, “Such is the nature of summer school. I tried to make it easy for them, but a lot couldn’t be bothered.”

It was an entirely different story for the 20 students in Mr. Beran’s Pre-Calculus class. Mr. Aiello, just retired as Chairperson of the Mamaroneck Math Department originated the summer course as an opportunity for students to move to the next level. It is taught for advancement rather than remediation, and the students are highly motivated. They have to be – the course is a rigorous, 3 hours, five days a week. “Mr. Beran goes for the entire 3 hours,” said Agnotta, “It’s very intense.”

Results are telling: everyone in the Pre-Calculus Class passed, and the average score was 90. For the 8 Mamaroneck students in attendance, all scored over 90 and are now eligible to enroll in the Advanced Placement Calculus Course for the coming term.

The 32 students taking the Regents Physics exam in Mamaroneck were also mostly motivated said Angotta. “We didn’t offer any crash courses, not even the one day review session.” A physics course is not offered at summer school, but after an unusually large number of students failed the June exam, State Education Commissioner Mills added the summer exam. (See previous articles on the Physics and Chemistry exams.) Overall, eighty percent of the students passed, although the average was only 67, two points above the 65 cut-off. Angotta attributes the low average to two students who performed very poorly. Without those two, the average rose to 80. Of the 15 Mamaroneck students, 11 passed.

Having left Larchmont soon after taking the Physics exam, MHS rising senior Zachary Cedarbaum offered his comments by cell phone from Ohio. “It was alright - easier than the June test,” he said, but “It was sweltering.” Zach studied on his own during breaks at work.

The teacher administering the exam also found it to be “all right.” Teachers panned the June version, but this teacher observed, “The questions were very clear and appropriate for the students to understand.”

Over 180 students from across the County took the Chemistry exam, and between 75 and 80 percent passed. In the next few days, the results of all the Regents exams will become available, however a statewide analysis won’t be conducted until October when the local districts send results to Albany.

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