"Team Success in Math Regents at Lafayette H.S."
100% pass rate for second year in a row
By Paul Anderson, Gateway Institute Distance Learning Lab Coordinator and Liaison to Lafayette HS
February 18, 2005

Congratulations to the Gateway Program at Lafayette High School and to Gateway participants in the class of 2007 for achieving a 100% pass rate on the Mathematics A Regents taken January 2005. This is the second year in a row that Lafayette has achieved a 100% pass rate using Gateway’s minimum passing score of 65, rather than the 55 used by New York State. Gateway attributes the success of its Program at Lafayette to an effective team effort, starting with Alan Siegel, Lafayette’s Principal, and including Linda Rubino, the Gateway Program Coordinator, and a strong teacher team.

One of the mathematics teacher on the Gateway teaching team is Ms. Fay Bonacorsi, a veteran teacher with a firm teaching style that has produced great results with her students. Ms. Bonacorsi has exhibited resilience and tenacity in approaching challenges both inside and outside the classroom. According to Ms. Bonacorsi, “getting students to achieve a high level of success involves motivation, focus, and precise execution to raise a student's confidence level. Success does not occur overnight.”

While Gateway students acknowledge "Ms. Bonacorsi is tough. Really tough! Coming down hard on us at times." They also seem to appreciate her discipline, hard work, and persistence on their behalf. By the time exam day arrived, each student was well prepared and ready to handle any curve ball that the Regents Board might throw on the test.

The Principal and staff at Lafayette look forward to continued success from Gateway participants in the class of 2007, who have been challenged by Paul Anderson, Program Liaison at Lafayette, to achieve another 100% pass rate in June 2005 when they take the Chemistry Regents along with thousands of other high school students throughout New York State.