ROME, N.Y. Rome Free Academy biology teacher Emily Dodd is the Rome City School District’s October Rome Riser staff selection, the district announced Oct. 30.
The district credited Dodd with helping two students finish laboratory work outside regular school hours so they could meet the 1,200-minute requirement for a June Regents exam. It also cited extra help during her planning periods.
Dodd has spent 24 years in education and joined Rome in 2018 as an assistant principal, according to the announcement. She later returned to teaching science.
“Joining the science department at RFA is when I really found my home,” Dodd said in the district’s announcement.
The district said she received multiple nominations. Colleagues praised her work to improve science instruction and her efforts to make students feel supported.
Why the laboratory work matters
The extra lab time cited by the district addresses a specific part of science education in New York: eligibility to take a Regents examination.
The State Education Department’s science FAQ says students must complete 1,200 minutes of laboratory experience, along with satisfactory documented reports, to qualify for a science Regents exam. That is 20 hours of lab work.
The time is separate from the classroom instruction required for course credit. State guidance allows a mix of hands-on and simulated lab experiences. Virtual work is expected to engage students in active learning and align with the state’s science learning standards.
Schools may set a target date for students to finish and submit their required lab work. The state also says a completed lab requirement for a specific science Regents exam does not expire if a student needs to take that exam again.
For families reviewing science coursework, the distinction matters: classroom instruction and documented lab experience serve different requirements. More details are available in the State Education Department’s science FAQ.
Source note: This report is based on the district’s public announcement and New York State Education Department guidance. Quotations come from the district announcement, not a separate interview.
