Here are the meeting notes as a .pdf file:  SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2017-09-27.pdf

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

6:30 to 8:00 pm at

Arnett Branch Library, 310 Arnett Boulevard

Attendance:

Joe Baldino           School #29 Principal, 490-2245, joseph.baldino@rcsdk12.org

Pamela Bollar       19th Ward/Aenon, 527-0799, bollarpam@gmail.com

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

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

John Curran           Rapids Cemetery Restoration, 271-1053, jecurran@rochester.rr.com

Kevin Holman        Roxie Sinkler Rec Ctr, Director, 428-7827, kevin.holman@cityofrochester.gov

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

Lee Loomis            School #10 Volunteer Coordinator, 738-3079, leeloomis46@gmail.com

Travis Miller           RSMP, 512-3816, tmiller@savinengineers.com

Narlene Ragans     OACES Dir. of Accountability/Admin Analyst, narlene.ragans@rcsdk12.org

Betsy Romson        Arnett Block Club/School #16 Alumna, mesromson@aol.om 328-8313

Introductions

Library news

Arnett

• New mural on library represents popular book bindings; lots of color; there will be a celebration of the mural on 10/28 to thank the donor; artist is Richmond Futch; art is leading to high interest and increased art funding.

• Book Sale happening now through 9/30; books .25 each.

• Murder, Mystery & Mayhem at the Mt. Hope Cemetery; 10/14 @ 2pm and 21 @ 10am 2 and 10 - tour of Mt. Hope Cemetery; must register first 428-8214.

• No more funding for After School Homework Help; asking for volunteers; reaching out to UR for assistance; elementary ages

School 10 - Update

• Lee Loomis met with new tutors along with Principal, Ms. Clybourne. School will be vacated next July to start new school modification protocols; plan is to finish renovations by summer of 2019; will include a new gymnasium and new cafeteria designed for community access (modeled after School #16 renovations).  See: School 10 Building Advisory Committee (BAC) Meeting Agust 24, 2017 .  Students will be going to school at John Marshall. Current gym at 10 was named after Lewis Henry Morgan, anthropologist, who gave us much of the history we now have on the Iroquois Nation; that space will be changed to the library but the history will be preserved. School originally built in 1916.

School 16 - Update

• Flint Street Recreation Center closing for renovation next year; hoping to transfer that staff to School #16 Community Center during that time. Would need to determine how to sustain the staff after Flint Street reopens.

• Kevin will attend these meetings to offer suggestions and provide input regarding construction of the center. Does want to be part of the School #16 center; will need to look at things like hours of operation and seasonal access. Need to focus on the neighborhood children who would be able to attend vs bused students who go home - unless an after school program could be implemented.

• John Boutet recommended publicizing the #16 proposed community center at Roxie Sinkler/Gardiner. Neighborhood involvement important. Perhaps hold a “community night” which would publicize the new recreation center but also publicize Roxie Sinkler.

• Pools - how can we make better use of the school pools for community use? Need to make sure we use the ones that are open (e.g., Adams Street). Not sure if pool at Madison is available; used to be connected to SWAN. Note: Marshall, the swing space for School #10, does have a pool.

• RSMP activities for #16 moving along. Three principles of LP Ciminelli have broken off and started their own company named Buffalo Construction Consultants; Ciminelli agreed that they could take the school contracts; approved by School Board. Project Manager, Tony Miceli, is very competent. Probability is high that school will be finished as scheduled (Summer, 2018). Schedules MUST be adhered to because of the domino affect of the swing spaces. For current information on updates, go to: www.rsmpnews.net.

School #29 Update - Joe Baldino

• Capital Improvement Project being planned for next summer. Nursing suite will not be remodeled. Planning now for the summer of 2019.

• School is on Kenwood and Kirkland.  Garden planted by students on north side of school has brought forth carrots, corn, pumpkins, etc. - great success.  SouthWest Rotary will be helping in the garden tomorrow morning.

• Strong reading and math intervention program being planned.  Using people and computers.

• Lots of positive news - why doesn’t community know about it?

• To read about positive RCSD news - www.rcsdk12.org under news/media releases

• SouthWest Tribune newspaper

• Punitive approach to discipline has been replaced by a restorative model; is it working? It would be good to compare results between schools who are using the model and those who are not.

• Joe Baldino invited Betsy Romson to volunteer at School #29.

School 44 Update

• School is staying open. Principal was here 2 months ago. Would be good to promote Roxie Sinkler Center (Gardiner) at this school.

Wilson Commencement Update

• Superintendent’s Fast Forward Plan is being considered for Wilson Commencement.

• Wilson Commencement (old West High across from Boys & Girls Club) is connected Wilson Foundation (old Madison on Genesee & McCree); the vision was to create a “Corridor of Excellence” with the Foundation feeding into Commencement on Genesee street.

OACES (Office of Adult Career & Education Services - Dr. Narlene Ragans)

• OACES is a Workforce Prep organization providing literacy and education services. Helps adults get their HSE. Helps English language learners. Provide vocational training experience (electrical, automotive, carpentry, CNA, building maintenance, and customer service). Students can work on HSE and take a trade at the same time.

• Distance Learning now offered on website www.oaces.net; learn a trade or update your skills; short and long term programs.

Brooks Crossing Interactive Learning Proposal

• John Curran remarked that he likes the “Corridor of Excellence” vision in relation to the planning taking place for Brooks Crossing, an 11-story student high rise farther south on Genessee St.  A covenant requires that a restaurant be built there; however, the first floor reserved for that use has been empty for three years. Whatever ends up there needs to be judged equally or more beneficial to the SW communities than the proposed restaurant. The Interactive Learning Proposal would hopefully meet that need and also be of use to students who live in upper floors, and Plymouth Gardens (apartments for senior citizens across the street). Factoring in that the UR can benefit from having more collaborative technology spaces would also give them incentive to support such a center.

• Some see the covenant as outdated. Technology is a broad neighborhood need while (1) we now have restaurants in that area and (2) restaurants in less impoverished neighborhoods are failing (Corn Hill, College Town). Baye Muhammad, Commissioner of Neighborhood & Business Development, City of Rochester, has the final say on the restaurant covenant based on community input. Public forum will eventually be held to discuss current covenant and determine how to proceed. John Curren advocates for stopping the restaurant covenant but replacing it with an interactive learning center.

• Videos are available from previous meeting regarding School #16, #10 ( https://youtu.be/ICLpzDGhmSY ), and John Curran’s presentation for an education center at Brooks Crossing ( https://youtu.be/N16dJC2yFDg ).

• SW Common Council is taking the position that we will hear all proposals for how to utilize this space; it was noted that SW Common Council has been impressed with the learning center concept.

Scribe Services: Eleanor Coleman, ProsperRochester, Inc., 224-5119, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

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

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