Here are the meeting notes as a PDF file:  SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2017-02-22 rev1.pdf

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

6:30 to 8:00 pm at

Arnett Branch Library, 310 Arnett Boulevard

Attendance:

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

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

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

Dean Schove         19th Ward Resident, 748-1760, dschove@rochester.rr.com

Tamara Schove      19th Ward Resident/SW YMCA, 563-6027, tbschove@rochester.rr.com

Carla Roberts         (Info by mail) Principal School 16, w 235-1272x-3176, carla.roberts@rcsdk12.org

Introductions

SouthWest Library News

Arnett

Music Series 2017 - Jazz and Gospel keyboard with Tony Nichols, 2/25, Noon-1:00 pm

Weekly - Free TASC tutoring; every Monday 12:30-2:30

Phyllis Wheatley

Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu, Sat, 2/25, 11:30 am-1:00 pm; decorate cupcakes, sing, dance, laugh and play while wearing your favor Tutu. Cupcakes games music provided.

Screening of Selma documentary, Eyes on the Prize at 5:00 pm, Monday, 2/27; local Filmaker and Emmy Award-winner Jim DeVinney will be there to review and discuss.

School #10

No new news.

School #16 – Latest on New Renovation Plan:

The February BAC (Building Advisory Committee) meeting last week offered much new information regarding the School #16 room layouts in the renovated part of the school and in the new construction for the gym addition and 1st floor classroom addition. Perspective views of the school are shown from the south end of Colgate Street, the new rear entry next to the new gym, and a full building aerial view as seen from SW corner of the school lot. The gray protrusion on the west side of the gym next to the rear entrance is the stage facility that opens to the gym.

John offered details regarding the floor plans (1st, 2nd, 3rd floor and Basement).

We learned at last month's meeting (SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2017-01-25) that the new plan provided the possibility of having a Community Center in the gym addition and cafeteria at the north end of the school. The new detailed floor plan for the first floor shows individual rooms within the NW Gymnasium and SW classroom additions of the renovation plan. The budget will allow only limited air conditioning in rooms that are for year round use such as the offices or rooms that have no exterior windows. Those rooms are labeled in red or have a red “AC” designation. The gym & cafeteria are not air conditioned at this point. Provisions will be in place to add on air conditioning in the future.

Adding the gym permits the the renovation of the old gym/assembly area to to a library. The plan now is to keep balcony structure and construct two speech rooms and a computer classroom under it. The old library space will be divided into classrooms.

The most noteworthy change to the second floor will be to level the stepped nature of the top surface of the balcony to permit its use for three air-conditioned rooms. The look of the balcony would be retained as much as possible as viewed from the new library with windows looking down from the three three top-side rooms. On the hallway side of the three rooms, the current windows and doors between the hall and balcony will be retained to keep as much of the interesting architecture of the old school as possible. How these three rooms will be utilized has not yet been determined.  The renovation plan is missing 1 PTSA Room, 1 Music Ensemble, and 1 Agency Partner Room.  Perhaps they can be used to address some of the identified “missing program spaces”.

The third floor part of the schools is shown above. Other than for renovation of the rooms there are no major changes planned for this floor. Like all the other room renovations, it will include installing new ventilation, new windows, forced hot water heating, new electrical wiring, media connections and sprinklers.

The basement plan mostly serve to show how little of the school has a full basement. Many parts of the school just have crawl spaces below them. The school has a fairly new steam boiler and it is uncertain if it will be converted to a hot water boiler or replaced.

It should be noted that we still need to get New York State approval before these renovation plans can proceed. All local approvals have been given.

To compare the size of the potential School 16 Community Center to the Roxie Sinkler Rec Center, John also passed out this graphic which shows the two centers at the same scale. The enclosed building area and parking lot at the School 16 Community Center is much larger.

Much of the discussion was about the Community Center:

• The new gym addition and existing cafeteria can be sealed off from the rest of the school to permit their use as a community center after school hours.

• To permit operation of a community center here, a source of funding for staffing the center will need to be identified.

• John Boutet has spoken with John Borek, Administrative assistant to Adam McFadden, to encourage City involvement in coordinating the establishment of a Community Center. Mr. Borek has reviewed the proposal with Eric Rose at the Bureau of Recreation. Mr. Rose indicated this would have to be worked into the 2018-2019 City budget if the City agrees to do this. A follow up letter with information was sent of Mr. Borek and Mr. Rose.

• Inclusion in 2018-19 City budget which would be okay since it does not appear the school would be ready much sooner. Would like to get some staff commitments prior to construction in case space needs to be adjusted to accommodate them.

• Might the YMCA be interested in supporting programming?

• QUAD-A is currently functional at School #16; might this be another place they could operate?

• Carla Roberts via email: “The addition of the recreation portion allows for many opportunities to get our youths off the streets & involved in safe extra-curricular activities.”

• Ways to let community know about the coming Community Center:

  • Use Arnett Library to orient school and community parents to the upcoming Community Center by having some workshops offered for parents to become connected and aware of community resources.

  • Engage realtors who can bring people into the neighborhood.

  • Engage local African-American artists.

  • Speak with Arnett Cafe owner who has a strong following.

  • Connect with the two Street Managers (Don Hanks & John DeMott).

  • Announce at Black Heritage Celebration at SW YMCA this Friday at noon.

  • Advertise at Square Fair.

  • If all work on School 16 is not completed by fall 2018, could the Community Center at least be ready for use by mid 2018?

Other comments:

• This design keeps the open courtyard. Suggestion to look into a garden/greenhouse for part of the courtyard.

• In the new library, the current stage floor will be lowered to be even with the main library floor but the original woodwork on the sides and above that stage will be retained.

• Carla Roberts reported that she and the Assistant Principal were able to do a walk-through of the school this week with one of the latest floor plans to visualize & discuss the proposed plans as well as make suggestions. “The proposed renovations are doable, and most of the original features and wood work will be preserved. The plan is to have at least 1 class preserved and restored to its original state.“

There was also a handout of the Program Space Summary Comparison which shows (1) What rooms would be available in a Model Program, Pre K-6 (target capacity 610) and (2) Option 1.2: 3-Strand/Gymnasium, Future Kitchen (2) and Classroom addition (target capacity 634).

School #29

Little new news. Rotary Club working with School #29 for gardening on Kenwood and Kirkland SW corner lot as well as another garden behind the school. Kenwood/Kirkland site includes a Little Free Library.

School #44

Pre K teacher unable to make today’s meeting. Former #44 teacher has expressed interest in getting involved via FB.

Mary Adams is advocating for a reassessment of school needs regarding space; refugee population has increased need for space significantly. Superintendent to report back on space needs by December.

Projected that it will be December of 2018 before new Managed School Choice recommendations could be implemented.

Priority: Getting community involved in advocating for Community Center at School #16. Need to somehow motivate young people. John noted that many people in neighborhood were unaware the school had been closed when he originally canvassed the neighborhood. This would be another reason to advocate for a Community Center that would serve the entire neighborhood.

Will renovation be tied to increased testing scores (school performance)? Doubtful, but it would be good to offer programming that increases academic performance.

OACES

Mary D’Allessandro reported at the last SWCC meeting that the community-based team supporting OACES programming is reaching out to legislators for $1.6 million to mend the disruption of services but also to add in a budget line item that would provide ongoing and uninterrupted program funding.

Our next meeting will be on March 29th, which is a week later than our regular 4th Wednesday.  The meeting is at 6:30pm but check this link in case there is a change in location:  March 29th SWCC Education Committee Meeting at the Arnett Library

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

19thWCA Schools Committee Chair, John Laing, 235-5236, jlaing1@rochester.rr.com

Scribe Services: Eleanor Coleman, ProsperRochester, Inc.