From: Dan Drmacich [mailto:dandrmacich123@gmail.com]

Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 10:30 AM

To: David Long, Sean Smith, Dave Atias, Black Parents Association (via Google Slides) , David Kurtz, and 80 more

Subject: RCPE May 19th Meeting Minutes

Attendance: Don Bartalo, Chojy Schroeder, Lila Shehri, Lee Loomis, John Boutet, Isaiah Santiago, Howie Maffucci, Dan Drmacich

Discussion & Decisions:

1. Dan shared that the meeting with David Hursh, Tricia Gonzalez and he, with Regent Adrian Hale, regarding Blue Ribbon Committee & PLAN initiatives, has been postponed.

2. Dan reminded all that for our next meeting on Friday, June 9th @ 4 pm, we will meet by Zoom with Regents Norwood & Hale to discuss our agenda items; including the Blue Ribbon Committee for New Graduation Expectations & Assessments, the PLAN initiative, ELL graduation flexibility, alternative pathways & diplomas, and other Coalition agenda issues. Please send any additional agenda items to Dan.

3. Isaiah Santiago, the St. John Fisher University student  & RCSD graduate, who's campaigning for a RCSD BoE Commissioner position, updated us on his campaign.

4. We discussed the possibility of submitting a proposal to co-sponsor a RCSD BoE "candidates night" event with Metro Justice. Although all present believed it would be worthwhile, no one showed any interest in spearheading the work with Metro Justice, given their other responsibilities. Dan will follow-up with other Coalition members to see if we can make something meaningful happen. The critical Democratic Primary election will occur on June 27th!

5. Dan shared Coalition Treasurer & interim webmeister Ed Donnelley's report on our website. The key recommendation is that we need an ambitious, motivated individual who can devote a couple hours each week to develop a more attractive, interesting website that highlights our agenda & progressive education. Can we find an energetic, progressive education advocate who's interested in doing this? Perhaps one of our higher education professors could find such a student and negotiate some expectations for a credit-bearing experience. Dan will share this idea with them.

Also, what about Bored retired teachers or administrators?

6. Dan shared that the International Academy's proposal to have the school align with SWW to provide ELL students with a more meaningful & fair assessment process for graduation was turned down by Supt. Peluso; but that consideration will be given for the 2024-25 school year.. However, the possibility of the Academy applying to become a NYSED PLAN Pilot School, with a Performance Based Assessment-driven school is a possibility. 

7. John & Dan reported that the RASE Education Committee is still working on creating implementation plans for the RASE Education Recommendations and will host a Monroe County-wide in-person meeting on Thursday, May 30th @ 6:00 pm at Rev. Florence's church, on Plymouth AVe. South, directly across the street from the Monroe County Jail, to receive more input from the community.

8. We discussed the Beacon News article on the Museum of Science's program on racist art & the concerns raised by the reporter. Lee suggested that Coalition members should consider attending one of the programs to get a better understanding of it. The article is attached. (Be sure to read the comment section followed by the report.)

9. Dan shared that he has, once again, sent an email & made a follow-up phone call to the Joe Morelle office, to request a meeting with Joe to discuss his support for the Jamaal Bowman bill to grant more testing flexibility to all states. (See link, below.)

10. We agreed to meet again, by Zoom, on Friday, June 9th at 4:00, with Regents Norwood & Hale.

Beacon article: https://rochesterbeacon.com/2023/05/11/teaching-children-antiracism...

PLAN Initiative:   www.nysed.gov › plan-pilot

Performance-Based Learning and Assessment Networks (PLAN) Pilot

www.congress.gov › bill › 118th-congress: H.R.1741 - More Teaching Less Testing Act of 2023 118th ...