NORWICH – Despite the re-institution of the January Regents Exams, changes to the Norwich City School District’s schedule will remain in place, according to Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan.

On Aug. 3, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced private funding in the amount of $1.5 million that would allow schools statewide to once again offer the exams. In June, the NYS Education Department announced it would eliminate the January exams due to state budget cuts.

According to O’Sullivan, the NCSD calendar will move forward as planned, with no return to a semestered schedule. All signs, he added, point toward the eventual elimination of the January Regents, and the administration is “not going to put Norwich students in a position to go backward.”

In addition, O’Sullivan said he has not received any solid information from the NYSED on the re-institution of the January Regents and that “there would be costs” associated with any change of the schedule at this point.

“We don’t know what those costs are, but there would be costs,” he added.

According to a NYSED spokesperson, all January Regents Exams would be reinstated, minus those focusing on foreign language.

Last night, approximately 20 NHS students, parents and educators met with the Board of Education and O’Sullivan to hear the decision, one which they’ve protested for months due to its perceived negative impact on the school’s music program.

Mark Sands, who’s taught music for the district for two decades, was just one who addressed the board on the scheduling issue.

“After teaching at Norwich High School for 20 years in three different bell schedules, I can honestly say that the five bell, semestered schedule is in the best interest of all of the students at Norwich High School,” added Sands. “It should be re-instituted for this year.”