SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2017-06-28

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

6:30 to 8:00 pm at

Arnett Branch Library, 310 Arnett Boulevard

Attendance:

John Boutet SWCC Education Committee Chair, 328-4271, jboutet@frontiernet.net

Eleanor Coleman OACES & ProsperRochester, Inc. 224-5119, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

John Laing 19th Ward Schools Committee Chair, Volunteer @ Schools #16, #19 & #29

Jennifer Lenio Rochester Public Libraries (South District), 428-8272, jlenio@libraryweb.org

Eamonn Scanlon AQE/Metro Justice, eamonn@metrojustice.org, 355-2765

Dean Schove 19th Ward Resident, 748-1760, dschove@rocheser.rr.com

Library news

Arnett

All Libraries doing Summer Reading for adults and children.

No “hold” fees for teens during the summer.

Square Fair Table 6/3

Table set up to highlight the various segments of School #16. Positive feedback and a lot of questions. Were able to recruit several volunteers.

School 10 - Update

The Faculty & Staff of Dr. Walter Cooper Academy held a “Thank You” reception for the Rochester Engineering Society (RES) Tutoring Team in the School Library, Thursday, June 15th; 13 of the tutors were able to attend. Dr. Walter Cooper was there, to personally thank each of the RES Tutors and present them with a Certificate of Appreciation. I have begun recruiting additional tutors for the Fall 2017 School Year beginning.

School 16 and 44 - Update

The agreements in place are that when School #16 reopens as a neighborhood school, the 19th Ward students at School #44 would go to #16. School #44 would be closed and the building used as "swing space", initially to house School #10 student and staff while #10 is being renovated. The big question with this plan is would there be enough seats at #16 to accommodate all local students? Feeder pattern maps from 2000 suggest not. Feedback from last summer's Managed School Choice Policy Task Force is that more neighborhood schools are desired. Mary Adams pushed for Board approval to have the Superintendent do a study to determine how many schools need to be open to meet student demand. The study is slated to be done by this December, 2017. It would then take another year to respond to that study with changes to the Managed School Choice Policy. Parents need upfront information from RCSD as to what is closing and what isn’t.
School #16 is currently on an accelerated renovation schedule to reopen on Post Avenue in September 2018. If that schedule holds School #44 would close in June, 2018. When School #10 renovations are ready to start School Building #44 will reopen to provide swing space for those students (in the Fall of 2019 ?)
Unfortunately the above schedule does not allow for easily responding to the Superintendent's space study if it is determined #44 needs to remain open.

School 29

Grass needs to be cut in garden on Kenwood. School 29 agreed to take on that responsibility.

Walk-in Items

Dr. Cecilia Griffin-Golden is running for RCSD Board. Has excellent experience (worked as a teacher, reading specialist, principal, Chief Academic Officer for RCSD, Exec. Dir. of Hillside, etc.) Cecilia has attended several of our Education Committee meetings.
If Malik Evans is voted in on City Council, his position will need to be able to be filled within 30 days by the Board; if that doesn’t happen within 30 days, Van White alone will appoint the person.
There is concern about the difficulty of transitioning 7th graders twice (once into middle school and then again to a new school) if they are moved from one school to another. Could School #3 be a Junior High.
Need YMCA feedback as to whether they could staff the School #16 community center. Will also check with Boys & Girls Club as they already assist #29.

SWCC Education Committee Chair, John Boutet, 328-4271, jboutet@frontiernet.net

19thWCA Schools Committee Chair, John Laing, 235-5236, jlang1@rochester.rr.com

Scribe Services: Eleanor Coleman, ProsperRochester, Inc.