Present: Mark Hare, Chojy Schroeder, Don Bartalo, Donna LaMura, Connie Flahive, Phyllis Moss, David Hursh, John Boutet, Howie Maffucci, Dan Drmacich

Discussion & Decisions:

1. Dan reported that the Coalition efforts to advance & implement the RASE Curriculum & Testing Recommendations is making slow, but steady progress. Dr. Cephas Archie, the City Chief Equity Officer, is meeting with Dan to discuss plans for collaboration with other key interested organizations & individuals.

2. We agreed that the December 8th, 5:00 pm, Regents Zoom meeting to share ideas with their Graduation Requirements Blue Ribbon Committee, is critically important for as many Coalition members as possible to attend & push for our agenda items of:

- Identifying the key skills students need to be active, responsible citizens,

- Creating performance-based assessments to assess the identified skills, above,

- Replace current high-stakes standardized tests with the performance-based assessments,

- Create high standards optional diploma tracts for vocational and liberal arts interested students, and

- Create desegregated, thematic, inter-district magnet schools to pilot these initiatives

You must register to attend. Go to the Rochester City School District website for a Zoom link.

3. Joe Simson is exploring possible strategies to advance Racial Justice & Equity Studies in Monroe County & City schools. He & Dan are meeting with Shane Wiggens next week to discuss possibilities.

4. Don & Mark are working on a Coalition position letter regarding school closings & will share the first draft before the next meeting.

5. Mark shared the positive news on Great Schools for All, citing the positive report completed by a major law firm & the willingness of BOCES, several interested suburban school superintendents, and the RCSD Supt., to meet with GS4A to discuss possibilities for advancing interdistrict, desegregated, thematic magnet schools.

6. Regarding our agreement to personally survey the Coalition's people of color concerning their general lack of participation, Dan reported that 2 individuals of color whom he interviewed stated that they were very supportive of our work, but had family responsibilities that prevented them from attending meetings. 

Bart agreed to survey our members of color on alternative times to meet. Dan will send Bart their names & contact information.

7. Chojy raised the issue of our Coalition's lack of emphasis on the needs of ELL, ELS, immigrant, refugee children, who are new American students. Chojy and Mark emphasized their needs & we agreed to think of creative solutions to help these students and their families, and share at our next meeting. 

8. Dan reported that our letter to all Monroe County Supts. & BoE Presidents, regarding our recommendation that each participating school district pay for transportation of the participating students. Two district BoE presidents stated that they would share the letter with all their 
Board members.

We further discussed other concerns we have about the Transfer program. Dan volunteered to write a draft of a letter expressing our concerns & share by email for discussion at our next meeting.

9. East High Superintendent, Shaun Nelms, was unable to meet with us due to a Zoom invitation problem on our part. Dan will try to schedule Shaun at our next meeting.

10. We agreed to meet again on Friday, December 17th at 4:00 pm, by Zoom.