Here are the meeting notes as a .pdf file:  SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2018-05-23.pdf

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

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

Elyette Clyburn                   Center for Youth/School#3, 473-2464eclyburn@centerforyouth.net

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

Collier-Santos, Shaunta     RSMP, 530-9318, landnpr@gmail.com

Paula Givens                       School #16 Teacher, 325-0935, pgivens01@aol.com

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

Travis Miller                         RSMP, 512-3816, tmiller@savineengineers

Steven Rebholz                  SWBR Architects, 232-8300, srebholz@swbr.com

Karla Roberts                      Acting School #16 principal, phone, karla.roberts@rcsdk12.org

Jeff Sciortino                       X-Cats, 461-1156, jjsciortino@frontiernet.net

The full meeting with an abridged slide show of the construction is here: https://youtu.be/iqcyMe8gLWI

School #3 – Elyette Clyburne, Community Liaison

• Have met with the architect team; in roll-out phase.

• Currently looking at student needs assessments.

School #10 – Update – Travis Miller (RSMP)

• Renovating and reopening School 10 in the fall of 2019 will probably not be possible; Smart Bond Funding snag means $2.3 million from State is not yet in hand which it must be for overall plan to be approved. That delays putting out to bid until late summer, early fall; in turn completion of renovations is delayed to December 2019. School policy says no renovated school is to start in mid-schoolyear.

• Majority of the funding comes from Rochester Joint School Construction Board; Smart Bond comes through RCSD, with a focus on removing portables and replacing them with permanent structures. Approvals for both streams of funding are necessary to move forward; can’t start the work until all the funding is secured.

School #16 – Update – Paula Givens (School #16 Teacher) & Travis Miller (RSMP)

• SBP Team interviewed for principals. Recommendation has been made; awaiting School Board approval.

• Renovation project status: On schedule for students to start immediately after Labor Day; will be presenting to School #16 parents at Freddie Thomas. Project was accelerated from18 months to 14 months. Workers are on site 6 days a week, including Saturdays; not conducive to having tours go through the building at this time.

• Travis provided visual presentation showing the site plan. Full video of presentation:  https://youtu.be/lnRI3irmAV8
  

  • Most window replacements are done.

  • Major masonry reconstruction needed on parapet (top of wall above the roof line); other minor reconstruction needed. Entire roof and 70% of parapet reconstructed.

  • Street will be wider with the introduction of a recess for buses to park.

  • A lot of the building is made of wood and some needed replacement.

  • New Pre-K wing connects with Kindergarten and are contained; attractive color wall mosaic stripe will be carried out through the entire school.

  • Workforce and business diversity goals - 22% minority; 8% women. Current contracts: minority 17%, women 10%, disadvantaged 3%, small business 3%.

  • Had to change railings to meet new legal requirements.

  • Mechanical, electrical and plumbing, which already existed, was replaced with new.

  • What will be air conditioned? - main office, library, 3 classrooms, computer closets, offices and a computer lab with no windows. Air conditioning costs $38 million and additional funds would have to be raised; school has a central system from which all rooms could be air conditioned.

  • Former gym will be converted to a library (center of building). Natural wood kept.

  • Renovated cafeteria has windows; previously cafeteria was a multi-purpose room also used as a gym. About 200 students per 3 lunch seating.

  • Gym has a stage.

  • Preservation Board has asked that one set of the rooms that were part of the building in 1920 be kept as a “Legacy Classroom”,retaining the old woodwork and cabinets; that room is one of the 3 air-conditioned classrooms which can be available for the after-hours activities.

School #19 –Update - Monique Silas Lee

• No report.

School #29 Update - Joe Baldino

• No report

Work w/ AQE/Metro Justice on Behalf of School #41

• In receivership; will close and reopen as a community school with a new principal. They were able to shield the autism classes avoiding teacher changes to these classes. Elsewhere in the school as much as 50% of teachers may change. The District made the best of bad options dictated by the State.

School #44 Update – Donna Gattelaro-Anderson, Principal; from Karen Lahr, Teacher

• Looks like school will be staying open at least through 19-20 school year. They are slated to receive students from Puerto Rico as well as more Spec. Ed. Students.

• Not sure what is happening with the administration, whether Donna, the principal, will be back or not; she has been out for several months due to illness. Many staff members have put in for voluntary transfers; not sure who will be going or staying.

Wilson Commencement Update - Jeff Sciortino

• Wilson became an Application school 3 years ago – Students must apply with an essay and include in the essay why you want to go to Wilson, adopt at least one IB learner trait. Had 150, 122, 255 applicants.

• Students who are challenging the regents to accelerate themselves in math.

• Thinking about bringing some 7 and 8 - graders to Wilson Commencement. Building is not set up for this age group so they are considering renovations.

• WILSON X-CATS: It was pointed out that, while on a tour at CalTech, the tour guide there knew of the X-Cats because of their accomplishments, yet they are not very well known locally.

• • FIRST Robotics – only sport all kids in school can participate in; must cooperate with other teams to win. Focused on student development, not winning. Highest award is for embodying the principles of the program, especially leadership.

  • X-Cats is the only team in the world, out of about 7,000 teams, that has won twice. Currently, there are approximately 3,600 active teams.

  • Initially, Xerox sponsored the program for $240,000 per year; now, Xerox now commits $15,000 per year.

  • 100% graduation rates for students involved in X-Cats.

  • X-Cats design and manufacturing shop first on Mustard St, then University, then 30 Hart St, to now being in Edison as part of an auto body shop. Transportation is always a key concern; middle-school students can get there but the younger students cannot. Several challenges with Edison, including needing to relocate for one year. It is an enormous task to move all the equipment associated with robotics. The X-Cats are hoping to find a location in the SouthWest, preferably in connection with Wilson H.S., which has a high number of walkers as well as low-income families.

  • Needs:

    • Practice field

    • Collaborative meeting space

    • 3-D printers

    • Workshop with work tables

    • Machine shop with tools

    • 6,000 sq ft of space

  • What could this mean for SouthWest:

    • Increased attendance as well as an accomplished program for students

    • Highly visible increased economic activity

    • 4x more innovation predicted with this type of effort

    • Potential maker spaces

    • Positive uses for vacant spaces on Genesee St.

Jeff arranging to have a presence at Square Fair. Also plan to be in parade.

For more information and to provide additional recommendations, contact Jeff Sciortino, 461-1156, sciortino@alum.rit.edu or X-Cat alumnus, Datwan Dixon, 422-1237, datwan.dixon@xerox.com.

OACES

• Open House, 5/9, very success. Student Ambassadors provided tours and information about OACES programs.

• Youth Build teaches construction skills to 17-24 yr. old at-risk youth and help them earn HSE; goal is to place them in construction jobs or higher education. 2 weeks of orientation and “mental toughness”; 6 weeks of classroom instruction; 5 weeks of on-site training. Next class starts June 4.

Walk-in Items

• James Monroe High School Project nearing completion featuring significant reconstruction. Brochure containing the Modernization Plan was distributed.

Library News

Wheatley –

• Resume workshop every Tuesday from 5-6pm

• Free TASC Tutoring every Thursday from 4-6pm

Arnett

• Free TASC tutoring every Monday, 12:30-2:30

• Computer Tutor every Monday 4-5; register first – 428-8214 or stop by the library to sign up

• Storytimes for Ages 2-5 every Sat 1-1:30 & Tuesday 11:15-11:45

Library is still taking surveys to guide the direction of their Facilities Master Plan; help decide what the branches should look like in the next 10 years by completing their survey. Should they be co-located? Are they in the right neighborhoods? What services should be provided?

Links to survey:

Online Survey: English

Online Survey: Spanish