The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, April 15th, 2015

6:30 to 8:00 pm at

Arnett Branch Library

310 Arnett Boulevard

Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 6:30 pm at the Arnett Library, 310 Arnett Blvd.

Meeting Convened at 6:30 pm

Attendance:

John Boutet SW Common Council Education Committee Chair

Eleanor Coleman OACES & ProsperRochester, Inc. (Grandparent/School #10)

Jeremy Coleman Uncle/School #10

Jay Grasso Senator Ranzenhofer’s Office (778 Genesee St.)

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

Jennifer Lenio Rochester Public Libraries (South District)

Lee Loomis FREE Partnership (Rochester Engineering Society Tutoring Team)

Schools Discussion

School 16

• Starting to look at convening a meeting between community and school staff to talk about renovations; we anticipated that this meeting would have been held last December

• Governor’s signature for Phase 2 was delayed until December.

• Sending out for bids is a very slow process.

• Superintendent agreed it could be a neighborhood school to the extent we can get neighbors to send their children there.

RCSD School #16 Facility Study Overview

Option 1 – No changes in floor plans. Eliminate external modular Pre-K structures. Renovate Bldg. to current standards: sprinklers, ventilation, plumbing, bathrooms, floors, windows, etc. to accommodate Pre-K through 6^th grade. - 550 students - $20.6 million

Option 2 – Option 1 Plus add AC throughout and double size of kitchen for a full service kitchen. - 550 students - $23.5 million

Option 3 - same as 2, plus staircase in back and second floor rooms over current single story part of building. - 616 students - $29 million

School 44

• Not in as bad a physical shape as most 100yr buildings, solid construction; the small lot size was a major issue.

• Need to separate the physical building from staff & children; building is slated to close; #44 was on the “very” poor academic list spring 2013 meaning it could be taken over by the State. This feeds into a plan to have the school close after 2015-2016 school year.

• Mary Adams supporting keeping #44 open until School #16 comes back 2018 so that we have at least one school in the area open. RCSD hesitant to put Kindergarten back into #44 since they took it out last year and plan to take out 1st grade next year.

School #10

• Also in need of renovation soon but was taken off the closing list spring 2013.

• New Kindergarten class: 9 new Kindergarteners have arrived at School #10; appear to have special needs. Not sure if there are more to come.

School #29 - Not an issue for closing because of age. Relatively new single story bldg used a lot for physically handicapped students.

John L. recommended that we keep the other SW schools on the agenda so that we have a comprehensive picture of what is happening throughout the SW in regards to schools. Easy to lose track of issues and ways we can support each other and collaborate.

Discussions with School Board members

• Have talked with Malik Evans and Willa Powell; sounded like they were in support of keeping #44 open at least until 16 returns to Post Ave.We have also been in close contact with Mary Adams who is pushing to, at very least, reinstate kindergarten at 44 so there are seats for all students in the west side of the 19^th Ward to attend a local school.

Short Distance Busing Legislation

• Getting this approved would have a great impact on neighborhood schools. Push to write letters of support.

• Decisions about busing resources come down to cost of the transportation and where it will come from.

• Recommendation: Bus everyone who is not in line of sight of the school and do door-to-door. Perhaps we should be canvassing School #16 neighborhood with this information. Good strategy to engage neighbors around new buildings and shorter busing distances.

• Jay will research the origins of the .5 mile decision for us. Legislation generally supports what the RCSD School Board has voted on. John B. will get Jay the specific bill reference.

Walk-in items

• County-wide schools? Would save money and help address concentrated poverty. Not likely to happen; reflect on the suburban push-back to expanding urban-suburban.

• St. Mary’s Church downtown has shown an interest in partnering to support interests of School #44.

• PTO parent president from Wilson Magnet HS has expressed interest in attending future meetings.

• John B. picked up a good book in S. Africa, “Long Walk to Freedom” about Nelson Mandela adapted for early readers from Mandela's memoirs. Both SW libraries have ordered it.

• 19TH WARD SPELLING BEE! Schools 10, 16, 19, 29, 44 Grades 3-8, at UR Hubbell Auditorium, Hutchinson Hall Saturday April 18^th, 1-5pm.

• GVP Resource Fair at Skating Rink on Saturday also.

SW Libraries

Wheatley

• New Children’s Librarian at Wheatley; lots of new programming for children.

• STEM Thursdays - planting garden seedlings for 10-17 year olds. Learn what makes plants grow.

• Children’s Film Festival Thurs, 4/23, 4 p.m. in Community Room; ages 3-12, light refreshments.

• Spring Sweets & Treats, Wed, April 22, 5:15-6 for ages 7-12

• Bunnies, Books, and Pajamas Wed, 4/29, 5:15-6 for ages 0-12

Arnett

• Youth Career Information Day Thurs, 4/23, 4:30-6 p.m.

• Teen Talk About Financial Literacy with Summit Federal Credit Union, 4/22 4-6 p.m.

• Creative Minds (Mon & Wed, after school) going strong; grades K-6

• Prototype of Book Bike has been created; hoping it will be done 2-3 weeks - Books by Bike; giving books away and can charge books out.

The meeting adjourned at 8:15pm

Minutes submitted Eleanor Coleman

Addendum:

Following is the specific short-distance busing bill information requested by Jay Grasso:  S5227B  It is a NY Senate bill which would shorten the minimum reimbursed student busing distance from 1.5 to 0.5 miles. I think it was proposed as part of a pilot program for School 17.  In many neighborhoods 0.5 miles is reasonable for an elementary school child to walk depending on what the street crossing conditions are and the weather.  I'm sure that 1/2 a mile would still worry many parents.  My March 8, 2015 post argues for 1,500 feet. See:  50 years after Selma we still need to stand up, be heard and make a...