A gym full of eighth-graders cheered and screamed Monday at the World of Inquiry school as they prepared to “Roc the Regents.”
The city school held a pep rally to show support for students headed into Regents exams, which start Tuesday. All of the students at the rally had qualified to take the Regents life science exam.
As a bonus, these students were the first district students to meet incoming Superintendent Terry Dade, who was impressed by what he saw.
“Couldn’t think of a better way to start the week than celebrating our students and their accomplishments already,” said Dade. “You saw that 100% qualified to take the exam, which is a big, big deal.”
Dade said he has not yet met Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, who has been an increasingly vocal critic of the district and its governance in recent months. Dade said a meeting is planned with Warren later this week.
When Dade’s hire was announced, Warren challenged whether his experiences in the Fairfax County School District prepared him to handle Rochester’s schools. She pointed to how affluent the area is. Dade said he has no doubt that his experience will match up.
“My past experiences and successes will serve me well to serve the community here in Rochester,” said Dade.
Board of Education President Van White, who spearheaded the event, said the rally is about moving the focus from the future of the Board of Education to the final exams.
“We are not focused on the future of adults or what we did or what we wrote or what test, if you will, whether the board or the district passed it. The only test, the only examination, that makes any difference right now in this city are these Regents exams,” said White.
On Tuesday night, City Council will consider a measure that would pave the way for the New York State Education Department to replace the current school board with an appointed one. White and other board members are opposed to a takeover.
