The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, 3/22/23

6-7:30 pm at

For Zoom Link, Contact John Boutet @ jboutet@frontiernet.net

Minutes Posted on: www.locationSW.org/group/sw-education-forum

Attendance:

Lila Alshehri         Rochester Coalition for Parent Education, Niagara College student

Joe Baldino          School #29 Principal, 490-2245, joseph.baldino@rcsdk12.org

John Boutet         SWCC Education Committee Chair, 328-4271, jboutet@frontiernet.net

Mary Coffey          N. Winton Village Co-Chair; Many Neighbors Building Neighborhoods; Public
                               Safety, marycoffey0@gmail.com

Eleanor Coleman Rotary SW, CCFCS YouthBuild, 224-5119, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

John Curran         REACH, St. Monica’s, WFM, jecurran@rochester.rr.com

Alicia Evans          Common Ground Health, 210-2425, Alicia.evans@commongroundhealth.org

Carmen Jones      Willie W. Lightfoot Rec Ctr, 369-3029, carmen.jones@cityofrochester.gov

Lee Loomis           School #10 Volunteer Tutor, leeloomis46@gmail.com

Nathan McGill       Living Word Church, 362-3095 Nathan_mcgill@ymail.com

Phyllis Moss         19th Ward Ed Chair, drphyllismoss@icloud.com

Shaniqua Smith    SouthWest NSC, 428-7630, Shaniqua.Smith@cityofrochester.gov

Alicia Ward            19th Ward Resident & SUNY ATTAIN Lab, 347-8219, award@badenstreet.org

Welcome & Introductions

Quick update of school news

• John B. attended a couple of CET meetings, School #19 and WFA (first CET mtg). Positive relationships between School #19 and Willie Lightfoot Rec Center.

• Alicia Ward reported there are dogs next to the Willie Lightfoot Rec Center on the other side of the fence; one got loose and bit a student. Call Animal Control (311) who can even come back after the situation. If there’s a bite or the action is occurring in real time, call 911.

• Alicia Evans is the Healthy Schools Project Coordinator and is affiliated with Schools 19 and 10 in the SouthWest. Alicia is able to facilitate programmin, supplies and resources that support healthy school environments. https://www.healthikids.org/our-priorities/the-power-of-play/recess

Local busing update - an ongoing need

• John sent out an email highlighting the two bills that are currently in committee for half-mile busing. Please support Assembly Bill 1276 and Senate Bill 4414:

  • https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/A1276

  • https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4414

Sheltering housing-insecure students and their families

• 911 Brooks Ave was investigated as a possible site but will not work out because of all the damage it has undergone. If anyone knows of another suitable site that is available, please let us know.

Avoiding the standardized test mentality.

• The website https://hs.credit addresses how turning students on to education and teaching what they are interested in is much more effective than forcing them to prepare for standardized tests and teaching to the test.

• Congressman Lamal Bowman, as former educator knows this and introduced legislation called the More Teaching Less Testing Act which reduces high stakes testing. A summary pdf describes the bill: https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/11000810274?profile=original. It is very important that it gets passed. Federal legislation has generally been pushing privatization and high stakes testing down on the States by buying politicians.

• We have to convince Joe Morelle to support Lamal's bill. He is someone who needs to be contacted.

• There is a whole industry (a trillion $$$) that depends on high-stakes testing; Bill Gates, included. These private entities also support politicians. This is part of the privatization of public schools. High stakes testing is a “hammer” against primarily city schools.

Implementing RASE recommendations in our schools

• RASE provides a set of guidelines of what should be happening in the Rochester area regarding systemic racism that perpetuates poverty. There will be a presentation at the SWCC June 16, 6pm. Recommendations are for both City and County.

• RASE Education Committee is facilitated by Nicole Haynes. More info at RASE website: https://www.rocrase.com/

Rochester Coalition for Public Education News – Check out their most recent minutes: Rochester Coalition for Public Education 2023-03-17 Meeting Minutes or their (RCPE Miutes Index)

Walk in items

• Mary Coffey will send John B. a copy of the letter being sent that expresses concern over our being the 3rd lowest school in the state; one of the lowest in the U.S.

• YouthBuild will be moving to 1600 N. Clinton Ave 4/3. New class starts 4/10.

• Alicia Ward announced the program Senior Expressions which provides training sessions for 55 and up. Currently offering Digital Literacy, & PowerPoint training Zoom.

• Entering the phase of summer hiring at City Rec & Aquatics. Youth ages 14-18 in HS can apply for a summer job through SYEP; deadline is 3/31.

• 19th Ward Spelling Bee for 3rd - 8th grade, which has been around for about 15 years, has expanded. UR students support the Spelling Bee; the next one will be on April 8, 2pm @ Wegman Hall. Preliminary activities will be provided for contestants at 12. Students can win a $500 award. Registration is filled; students currently practicing at Arnett YMCA.

• Resource Fair tomorrow at #16 School from 5-6:30pm.

Minutes from February meeting: SWCC Education Committee Meeting on Zoom 2023-02-22 and the (Index to all our Minutes)

IMPORTANT: John B’s wife has to go in for major heart surgery in Houston, Texas within the next few weeks. No official date yet but it is upcoming. Will be out of town for a week or 2. Will cancel the Education Committee meeting for April should the surgery be at that time.