Here are the meeting notes as a .pdf file: SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2018-07-25.pdf

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

6:30 to 8:00 pm at

Arnett Branch Library, 310 Arnett Boulevard

Attendance:

Mary Adams         19^th Ward Resident, 317-2367, MaryB_Adams@URMC.Rochester.edu

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

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

Betsy Romson     19^th Ward Resident, 328-8313, mesromson@aol.com

We came out of the meeting with a lot of action items we need to discuss with Principal Carla Robers and District staff.

The video of the meeting is on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/YaZxH67EPSY

Our goal at the meeting was to come up with ideas to help School 16 integrate back into the community.

Action Items from July 25, 2018 meeting:

1. Determine a date for the community tours of School 16 in Sept.
2. Plan on having after school socials in early week(s) of Sept. with teachers and neighbors at Dawn's house.
3. Confirm with RCSD we can use School 16 for the 19WCA Convention in November.
4. Make arrangements with Carla Roberts for contacting teachers for 19WCA membership.
5. Contact candlelight diner committee to plan inviting teachers to dinners and coordinate w/ Carla Roberts.
6. Work closely with Ernestine to involve the community in school plays and volunteering as tutors.
7. - an addition - Invite community representatives to address the teachers and staff with the above vision on Superintendents Conference Day, September 4th.

Background and plans:

Item 1. we need to decide what the most constructive way will be to have tours and pick a date or dates. We have ~20 people signed up from Square fair for a tour and I'm sure we will get many more when we announce the date(s). This is a community and school support event we need to capitalize on. These people coming through are potential volunteers, school supporters or future parents or grandparents of School 16 students..

Item 2. refers to a suggestion Mary had for using her friend Dawn's home at the N/E corner of Post and Aberdeen for an after school social event to get teachers, local residents and parents to mingle. We are confirmed for any staff who would like – on Friday Sept 14 immediately following dismissal (3:30pm). If it is raining we will re-schedule for the following Friday instead (rain date 9/21).

Item 3. we had talked about having the 19th Ward Community Association annual convention at School 16 this November when we spoke at Square Fair. Diane Watkins is chairing the committee organizing the event. The Association is excited about having the convention at School 16. We need to get it on the school's calendar and make sure we have all the RCSD approvals. Diane is probably one step ahead of me on this. She is past 19WCA president and a teacher over at Edison.

Item 4. I had talked with Harlan Ost the current 19WCA president and Diane about the desirability to encourage more interaction between the teachers in our 19th Ward schools and the community around them. To that end we thought it would be a positive step to offer all teachers a free 1st year membership in the Association to make them more aware of what is going on around them in the Ward. That would provide them with the weekly news letters that Jackie Farrell, our 19WCA Office Manager, sends out. This would let teachers know about local events they might want to take part in. Our hope is to have a recognition event at the convention to welcome the teachers.

Item 5. The 19WCA organizes Candlelight Dinners in February each year. Some members volunteer to host a dinner and others to participate and bring a dish to pass. This has proven to be a great way for people in the community to get to know one-another better and to visits homes they would otherwise never get to see. Jackie Farrell helps organize these events and was thrilled at the thought of getting teachers from our schools involved.

Item 6. is one that schools are always trying to do and I think Items 1. through 5. will help build up the community involvement to make 6. easier to succeed with.

Item 7. In reviewing all of these ideas with with Ernestine when she called me on the 26th, she suggested that an ideal time to present the above vision and welcome to the returning teachers would be on September 4th when all the teachers are present for Superintendent's Conference Day. If we can have that opportunity we would very much appreciate addressing the group.

Notes by John Boutet