At the December 5th meeting with Superintendent Barbara Deane-Williams at School 44 many questions were raised about the need for keeping School 44 open.  That discussion led Commissioner of Schools Mary Adams, who attended the meeting, to research and draft a resolution requesting a careful assessment of projected school space requirement.  The resolution was passed unanimously by the Board on December 15th.  Here is the wording of the resolution:

 Request for Facilities Capacity and Needs Assessment Update

 By Member of the Board Commissioner Powell
 
Whereas, Resolution 2013-14: 59 authorizes the closure of school buildings that house Abraham Lincoln School No. 22 located at 27 Zimbrich Street, Nathaniel Hawthorne School No. 25 located at 965 N. Goodman Street, Henry W. Longfellow School No. 36 located at 85 Saint Jacob Street, Lincoln Park School No. 44 located at 820 Chili Avenue and The Flower City School No. 54 located at 311 Flower City Park in the context of the Comprehensive Facilities Modernization Plan Phase II and a New York State Education Department requirement, at that time, for the closure of a total of five (5) school buildings within the Rochester City School District; and
 
Whereas, Resolution 2015-16: 630 authorizes the previously unplanned demolition of the school building that houses The Rochester Children’s School No. 15 located at 494 Averill Avenue, added the closures of school buildings that house Kodak Park School No. 41 located at 279 W. Ridge Road and Theodore Roosevelt School No. 43 located at 1305 Lyell Avenue, and continued the planned closure of school buildings that house Nathaniel Hawthorne School No. 25 and Lincoln Park School No. 44; and
 
Whereas, Resolution 2015-16: 630 authorizes the removal of modular/portable classrooms district wide which currently accommodate many prekindergarten students as well as allow for adequate specialized services within some schools; and
 
Whereas, school buildings that house Abraham Lincoln School No. 22, Henry W. Longfellow School No. 36 and the former building that housed The Flower City School No. 54 have already closed and/or have been permanently relinquished from the District, thereby bringing the total already closed or planned for closure total from five to eight buildings as well as the elimination of modular classrooms district wide; and
 
Whereas, there appears to be possible insufficient future capacity for expanded enrollment into District prekindergarten programs; and
 
Whereas, there appears to be possible insufficient future capacity to meet the needs for high quality specialized services; and Whereas, there is insufficient current District capacity for families in schools in the Northwest and Southwest areas of Rochester under the current managed choice placement policy; and
 
Whereas, the District’s stakeholders, particularly parents, have expressed dissatisfaction with the consequences of changes in facilities plans when those changes take place in the absence of long term, comprehensive and transparent planning for actions that result in school closures, displacements or movement of programs;  therefore be it
 
Resolved, that the Board of Education requests a current assessment of district-wide facilities capacity and elementary zone capacity, comprehensive educational needs related to building capacities and a summary of anticipated impacts, and any recommended changes, on each District school and free standing alternative school program; and be it further
 
Resolved, the Board of Education requests a review of any recommendations from the superintendent resulting from the comprehensive assessment of district wide facilities capacities in a public meeting prior to December 31, 2017.
 
Seconded by Member of the Board Commissioner Hallmark Adopted 7-0