Rome Free Academy Biology Teacher Emily Dodd Named October Rome Riser
Students can't sit for a New York science Regents exam without 1,200 minutes of documented lab work, so teachers who make up missed lab time keep RFA students on track to graduate.
The Rome City School District named Rome Free Academy biology teacher Emily Dodd its October Rome Riser staff honoree, in a district announcement on Friday, Oct. 30, the Utica Phoenix reported. The district's own post has the announcement.
Dodd drew several nominations. The one that stood out: she stayed outside the school day to help two students finish their lab work in time to meet the state's 1,200-minute requirement for a June Regents exam, and she gave up planning periods for extra help. Colleagues also credited her with improving how science is taught at RFA.
She has 24 years in education. Dodd came to Rome in 2018 as an assistant principal before moving back into the science classroom.
Why the lab minutes matter: the state Education Department requires 1,200 minutes, about 20 hours, of lab work with satisfactory written reports before a student can take a science Regents. Details are in NYSED's science FAQ.
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