SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2015-11-18

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

6:30 to 8:00 pm at

Arnett Branch Library, 310 Arnett Boulevard

Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 16, 2015, 6:30 pm at the Arnett Library, 310 Arnett Blvd.

Meeting Convened at 6:40 pm

Attendance:

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

Eleanor Coleman OACES & ProsperRochester, Inc. 224-5119, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

Joan Kinsella Wilson PTO Parent, 19 Trafalgar, 259-3049, joan.kinsella@hochstein.org

Bill Nichthauser 19th Ward Resident, School volunteer, 235-0851, inky389@frontiernet.net

Jennifer Lenio Rochester Public Libraries (South District), 428-8272, jlenio@libraryweb.org

Beverly Usher School #44 Volunteer, 19WCA Delegate, 730-7833, scarymovies63@yahoo.com

Update on School #44

School #44 PTO meeting 11/3: no parents, no grandparents; principal, two teachers, John Laing, Bill Nichthauser & John Boutet.
Staff would like school day to be 8-4 rather than 9-5. Kids get too tired after 4pm.
Submitting a Summer School proposal. Need to do some research; determine how many teachers would consider working and which parents might send their children.
All the minutes for School-Based Planning will be in the Teacher’s Lounge and in the Main Office to better inform public about what is going on.
Making a grant application for SIG.
Another proposal is requesting a Pre-K at School #44; per John B., Vargas has approved pre-K for 3 year-olds at 44.
John making a connection among Cecilia Golden, Liz Hallmark and Mary Adams to strengthen case for parent issues.
Short-distance busing issue applicable to most schools (busing for less than 1/5 miles); has a safety impact and will encourage parents to choose the nearest school for their children.
Next Community Engagement Team (CET) meeting is 11/23. When a school is in receivership, CET’s are required.
Asked that flyers were handed out so that parents are better advised of upcoming PTO meetings.

AQE/Metro Justice Update

Trying to get them involved in helping us organize to push the short-distance busing reimbursement.
Jerome has data from previous attempt to get short-distance busing approved (trial at School #17); did not make it through the Assembly. Need to organize and lobby.
Last Saturday’s AQE/Metro meeting included political organizer, Paul Hypolite; not sure he is fully behind the busing issue. Paul is a strong advocate for encouraging parents to opt out their children for standardized testing.
Eamonn Scanlon knowledgeable on where the money for the schools is located; again, need to organize. Do not back down.
Have received a grant to place Sally Williams on staff.
Have “adopted” School #44 and can help push community agenda.

Little Free Library and Free Books Update

Need help building the libraries. Hoping Gandhi Institute can help with 2 or 3.
Over 500 Books were given away at Halloween and over a hundred at laundromat and Thurston Y.

Wilson High School

Recruitment Team has been working with the RCSD advertising dept. - new billboards (1872 Cafe on W. Main) about a Recruitment Night and Open House Concert on 12/10; 8th grade students can find out more about Wilson and the IB program and get an application to apply for the following year. Spread the word through billboards, posters, postcards (to all 8th grade students).
3 Full time Music Teachers; Full time Orchestra Teacher
4 sessions offered in the school that will highlight for 8th grade classes to attend a mini concert and an info session on IB.
Joan asking for help promoting the Open House on 12/10. Opportunity for 8th graders to “shadow” someone at Wilson.
Urban/Suburban program has been approved for Wilson.

Walk-in item

19th Ward Convention is Friday, 11/20 (RCSD Office of Parent Engagement will attend)
Having conversations with group Black Student Leadership that meet at Vision barbershop on Thurston to get younger adults active with education issues via this committee, the 19WCA, etc.
Also in conversation with B.L.A.C.K. (Building Leadership and Community Knowledge)

Meeting adjourned at 8:05pm

Minutes by Eleanor Coleman

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