_______ Lynbrook/east rockaway ______
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lynbrook students learn kindness
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Vol. 30 No. 41
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Debating a divisive policy on Regents tests No Har m policy,” Matthew Sarosy, principal of the high school, said. “I’m concerned The Lynbrook school district that students will look at other has been grappling with its challenges they face as potenRe gents g rading policy for tially being harmful if they years — and a Board of Educa- don’t get the result that they worked for.” tion special work “While for some session on the topic individuals, one or last week didn’ t two points might move the needle feel trivial, that is strongly in either just not the case for direction. all of the stakeholdEducators, parents, students and a ers in this district,” panel of colle g e p a re n t C o u r t n e y admissions repreMack said. “I want sentatives all my kid to not be the weighed in at the 88 from Lynbrook Sep. 27 meeting at versus the 90 applyLynbrook High ing from Hewlett School. The discusfor the same spot at sion grew heated at Penn State, per se.” times, as the attendA number of ees debated whetharea school districts er to institute Do have instituted Do No Harm, a policy CouRTNEy MACk No Harm in recent in which Regents Parent ye a r s, i n cl u d i n g grades would not be Bellmore-Merrick, figured into a student’s class Hewlett-Woodmere, Syosset and average if it would bring that others. Supporters of the policy average down. Regents have emphasized that a student who accounted for 10 percent of underperforms on a Regents class averages since 2019, down exam may see his or her class from Lynbrook’s previous poli- average tick down, while a stucy of 20 percent. dent who lives a few blocks “I do have concerns about away, in a district with Do No the optics of instituting a Do
By NIColE FoRMISANo
nformisano@liherald.com
W
Courtesy East Rockaway School District
Elizabeth Ruggiero is one of the top AP Drawing scorers in the nation.
Her perfect score in AP Drawing puts E.R. senior in rare company By NIColE FoRMISANo nformisano@liherald.com
To Elizabeth Ruggiero, making art is the act of noticing — of taking in the intricacies of everyday surroundings that others often dismiss, and giving them new life on canvas. Her eye for detail and composition earned her a rare perfect score on her AP Drawing exam — which is only achieved by around 1 percent of students in the entire world. “Trying to capture a moment of life in art is something that is really important to me,” said Ruggiero, a senior at East Rockaway High School. “I find it really interesting that art can convey a perspective that you can’t necessarily express in words.”
A perfect score on the AP Drawing exam is no small feat. Its rarity is representative of the exceptional level of skill and artistry that it requires from students. Ruggiero is such a student — a deep-diver into human emotion and memory, with the technical talent to back it up. She plans a lifetime as an artist, and East Rockaway’s art program is largely to thank. “I think I was put in this art room for a reason,” Ruggiero said. “I was put in these classes for a reason. I have these amazing teachers and influences and I am forever grateful to those people. I have so much gratitude for everybody in my life because my art wouldn’t be there ContinuED on PAgE 2
hile for some individuals, one or two points might feel trivial, that is just not the case for all of the stakeholders in this district.
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