Here are the meeting notes as a .pdf file:  SWCC EducationCommittee Minutes 2018-03-28.pdf

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

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

Ernestine Brown     School #16 Parent Liaison, bernestine107@gmail.com

Richard Codding     AQE/Metro Justice Education Committee, 507-9238, rcodding123@gmail.com

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

Cecilia Golden        Hillside/19th Ward Resident, 315-4924cgriffingolden@hotmail.com

Dan DeMarle          19^th Ward, 328-5982, jddemarle@frontiernet.net

John Laing              19WCA Schools Comm & Sch #16 Vol, 235-5236, jlaing1@rochester.rr.com

Karen Lahr              School #44, 727-8597, Karen.lahr@rcsdk12k12.org

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

Bo Wright                RCSD Asst. Superintendent, Lawrence.wright@rcsdk12.org

A video of this meeting can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/RV4ZZ865vRs

Library News

Libraries have received another large budget cut. Not yet clear as to how that will impact the branches.

• Wheatley – Tie Dye T-shirts 4/23, 5-6 (they bring the dye, you bring the shirt); new adult PT staff starting a “Women & Wisdom” Book Club 5/25 @ 5:30; 4/10, 4-5:00 is Scrap Art; Paper Plate Caterpillars 4/18, 5-6:30; Homework Tutors every Wed & Thur 4-6:00.

• Arnett – school break week– Money Matters Book Club: Sunday Shopping, 4/2 @1:00; 4/4 celebrating April Fool’s Day (try and stump you librarian); Music Series - Arnett 4/7 at noon featuring New Life Gospel. Yoga for Teens, Thursdays April 12, 29 & 26 3:15-4:15

$300,000 Budget Cut: Jen being moved to the Central Library after July 1. Anticipates that there will be other staff who will step up to cover the community meetings. Some capital improvements won’t be made and open positions will not be filled.

Good News: Increasing 3 PT positions at Douglas, Arnett & Wheatley to FT.

School #3 – Gail Evans

• No report.

School #10 – Update – Lee Loomis, Volunteer Coordinator

• No report.

School #16 – Update – Ernestine Brown

• Ready to go back to School #16 in the 19^th Ward neighborhood.

• Ernestine lives in the 19^th Ward and is in easy walking distance from School #16 on Post.

• She has organized Dads & Donuts and Moms & Muffins monthly events; they greet the children; 7-10 attending. Bring resources to the meeting (bullying, RCSD services)

• Parent Appreciation Day – youth perform

• Painting with a Twist – parents learn how to help children with homework subjects using painting.

• Project Fair brought many resources to the school; very good turnout.

• Would like to see RCSD take a lead in suggesting School #16 to neighborhood residents, perhaps connect it with the Placement Office.

• Ernestine planning a “welcome back” event in Aberdeen Square for neighbors, students and parents to see the school. Want to get more activities going that will build interaction. Library would like to participate.

• Quad A serves after school youth; looking for wrap-around services so need something for the mornings.

• Dan asked if there is any kind of media (short video clip, etc.) to show potential parents the school. We should be highlighting the school and the new renovations. School not yet ready for tours. Bo will follow up with Communications.

• Walk-through is not enough. We need to determine what the parents need in the way of services and resources. Would be nice to have a connection to OACES for parents.

• Escorted tours may be possible at Square Fair.

School #19 – Update

• RCSD / Geneseo relationship still under review.

School #29 Update - Joe Baldino - via email

• Waiting for weather to warm up so they can start working on the garden and painting the bollards in the neighborhood.

• Exploring other outdoor community service opportunities.

• Would like to see students outside meeting their neighbors.

School #41 – Bo Wright

• Went into super receivership; have been showing incremental improvement in both academics and behavior but ran out of time in the State’s eyes.

• Will have a STEAM focus; Expeditionary Learning; developing it as a Community School (family and mental health services).

• Strong professional learning model proposed – additional 4 weeks of training during the summer

• The building will be refreshed (paint, etc.)

• Plan is awaiting state approval; have interviewed principals – State must approve the principal.

• Working with Teacher’s Union to decide which teachers will stay; some may elect to transfer.

• New person, Ken Eastwood, who will be overseeing the overall school system was put in place without much local discussion. Eastwood was a superintendent of a district where Blacks and Latinos out-perform their white counterparts (Middletown). Bo recommends looking at the demographics in Middletown and then compare to Rochester. His Focus: Close the achievement gap regardless of where the student comes from.

School #44 Update

• No plan to make any changes for the 2018-19 school year.

• Morale in building is low because of the constant threat of closing; this includes families, programs (Girl Scouts, etc.).

• Combined Regular Ed and Special Ed class does not have an experienced Special Education teacher; students are severely handicapped (residential clients) and are not being well served. Staff wondering if they are being given barriers that would later be reason to close the school.

• Rumors are that Montessori is coming in.

Wilson Commencement Update

• No report.

OACES

• New Facebook page offering updated information on students and programs

• Youth Build will teach construction skills to 16-24 yr old at-risk youth and help them earn HSE; goal is to place them in construction jobs or higher education

City Recreation:

• No Report

Walk-in Items

• HOW TO ACCESS RCSD MEETINGS WHEN YOU CAN’T GO IN PERSON: Board meetings are live; there’s a link on their website. John Boutet watched the Budget meeting live and it was very informative, clear and recommends using it. If you go to the main and scroll down the yellow column on the left to RCSDtv and click on it you will find a variety RCSD TV options. The RCSD Board of Education Broadcasts and Meeting Archives options gets you to a list of archived meeting YouTube videos. If you click the RCSD YouTube option you can a list of HUNDREDS of RCSD videos. Check some of them out and send links to ones you like to friends to highlight good things going on in the district.

• Dan noted that SOTA/Brighton Chorus do a joint concert holding the concerts at each of the schools.

• PATH FORWARD; Ongoing RCSD/community input meetings planned. Taking time to put out information that is clear and correct. Need to do a better job at bringing people together over a crisis and highlighting accomplishments. Communications key.

• 175 Martin St – all security and staff are moving out today. Students and teachers already have been moved.

• 8^th Annual 19^th Ward Spelling Bee – 4/21, 1 pm, Hoyt Hall at UR

• RCSD Public Budget Hearing 4/10, 6 pm @ 131 Broad St.

Scribe Services: Eleanor Coleman, ProsperRochester Inc., 224 -5119,  eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

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

19thWCA Schools Committee Chair, John Laing, 235-5236, jlang1@rochester.rr.com