SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2020-05-27

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Zoom Meeting 6:00-7:30 pm

Here are the meeting notes as a .pdf file: SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2020-05-27.pdf

The video of the Jacob Scott's and Dan Drmicich's presentations are at: https://youtu.be/oo7lTWqYJoc

Attendance:

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

Bryan Babcock 19th Ward Delegate & RCSD Parent, 969-3222, bryan@14619.org

Chirstin Babcock 19th Ward Resident, RCSD Parent 633-7480, chrisinmae@gmail.com

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, CFC YouthBuild, 224-5119, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

Camaron Clyburn School #10 Principal, 324-2010, camaron.clyburn@rcsdk12.org

Mike Dondorfer UR Americorps VISTA w/ Cornell Co-op 4H, 753-2568, mpd94@cornell.edu

Dan Drmasich Rochester Coalition for Public Education, dandrmacich123@gmail.com

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

Lauren McKoy School # 10, Site Coordinator, 747-1672, lauren.mckoy@rcsdk12.org

Jacob Scott Edison Career & Tech Principal, 362-1339, jacob.scott@rcsdk12.org

Alicia Ward 19th Ward Resident & SUNY ATTAIN Lab, 820-7672, award@badenstreet.org

Introductions

Edison Modernization & Improvements - Jacob Scott, Principal

Jacob provided PowerPoint highlighting current Edison’s Career & Tech Pathways:
- Construction, Architecture & Design Pathway - Carpentry, Masonry, Electrical, CADD, welding.
- Automotive, MFG, Engineering Pathway - Metal Working, Advanced Manufacturing, Automotive Tech & Engineering Tech; Edison has a long history of strong business partnerships; surrounding community is made up of businesses at which internships and shadowing opportunities are made available within walking distance. High demand from business community for this pathway. Students/families can get their cars fixed for free; only need to pay for the parts. Donated car allows them to teach today’s more modern diagnostic repair.
- Digital Media Arts & Communications Pathway - Digital Video, Advertising Design, Interactive media & digital music/audio production; Spectrum news, journalists and other business partners involved. Production rooms are state-or-the-art. Many students go on to RIT and do well.
- P-TECH Rochester Program - a college degree in high school; continue on to MCC free of charge and gain their Associate’s Degree. Computer Science, Cyber Security, Programming & Information Technology; must come in as a 9th grader. Attend MCC in Junior year.
- NYSAA NYS Alternate Assessment Pathway
Full, comprehensive CTE school in Monroe County grades 9-12; CTE has never left Edison Tech. Offer AP Bio, English Science, Math; Music, Band, Sports (male/female), Robotics. Wide variety of clubs.
Maker Space - flexible space that brings together different programs to have conversations and plan for a more diverse and larger project.
Plan for 2022-2023; looking at possibly bringing back Human Services & Health Care (Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, & Horticulture); Culinary and Horticulture exist, but they’d like to grow it.
Many Roads Come from a CTE Education. For more info: chooseedison.com
9th grade is an opportunity to learn about the different CTE Pathways. Students get an introduction to all the CTE’s and then choose one at the end of 9th grade. Goal is to have students doing internships and shadowing at local businesses as part of their high school education.
Tony Jackson, founder and owner of high-performing, locally-owned Panther Graphics was an Edison graduate.
Q: Why is plumbing not part of the curriculum? A: Difficult to find teachers; plumbers usually start their own businesses. Instructors must be to be certified.
Q: Are students assessed at earlier grades for technical skills? What if child has reading challenges? A: Open to all students; must be some type of interest in the technical skills in the beginning. Tutoring and after school help available for improving reading skills.
Would like to see a lower-grade feeder school established.

The Rochester Coalition for Public Education - Dan Drmacich

Dan has been with RCSD for 40 years.
Started a cooperative advocacy group for meaningful, progressive, research-based education that lobbies legislators, school board members, superintendent, etc. Integration of learner-centered academic initiatives.
Recently, were advocates for the appointment of a State Monitor for RCSD given the issues with the Board and financial instability;
Group lobbies for political candidates that support the Coalition’s efforts. Currently awaiting feedback from Bronson & Yudelson.
Can make presentations to the community.
Recommend the book “Ninety Feet Under” - excellent information on the effects of poverty and trauma on education. Provides insight on what we can do differently.
Making recommendations to RCSD on the budget with the knowledge that more money may be headed this way.
Meeting with new Superintendent has been set up.
One of the Coalition values and agenda items is support for Alternative Diplomas; there should be credit or an implementation of a technical diploma using performance-based evaluation as opposed to testing; electrical math vs Regents math. . Jacob noted that Special Education students could benefit from this.

Possible Grow Green Greenhouse to Move to School #29

Greenhouse was originally affiliated with SWAN; brought about by Eleanor Coleman; actual building funded by Mike Moss. SWAN selling the lot to Zion Hill to develop senior housing. Looking for a new home for the greenhouse; exploring the possibility of moving it to School #29. Getting direction from John McMahon, Neighborhood Service Center, as to the feasibility of that.
Proposed site would be next to the existing School #29 Community Garden at Kenwood and Kirkland. Actual School #29 property is not available due to facilities modernization.
There have been conversations and planning proposals in the past around using cellars of removed buildings on empty lots for agricultural projects, including aquaponics. Good time to be looking at alternative food sources.
Would like to see a connection to nearby Wilson Foundation Academy, 200 Genesee St.

School #29 Update

Still providing remote learning; bringing work home to students; social/emotional efforts being made; lots of graduations (Pre-K, 6th Grade) that will have to be done individually.

CFC YouthBuild

Building at 121 Lincoln is being cleaned professionally so staff can enter. Looking toward August for a start-up but will wait and follow direction by Cuomo.

Rotary SW

Service Projects Being Organized:
- General litter clean up - individuals clean up an area and use the Literatti litter app to document to connect with others; also considering a Zoom litter pick up (individuals Zoom in their locations and report out). Note: This is even more important as City’s Clean Sweep will probably not happen this year.
- Gardens: School #29 has 2 gardens; one is across the street (plants & flowers, Blessings Box, etc.) and the second is behind the school (this will be a vegetable garden and needs to be planted as well as maintained; site has water). Principal, Joe Baldino is very supportive and also an active Rotary SW member.
Taste of SW Restaurants Project - Survey going out to all restaurants noted on the Food Map created by our SW Street Liaisons (John DeMott & Chris McDonald) to determine how we can best help arrange for coupons and increased traffic at SouthWest Restaurants. Rotary SW prepared to support ways to publicize restaurants and coupon features on our Facebook page. Project Contacts: David Culleton, Stella Wang, Rose Bonnick
Face Mask Project - 20 of 100 masks left; David Culeton, Owner of Laundromat on Arnett has been handing them out to customers and to other business and neighborhood passers-by as needed. While each home has received a small supply of masks, we are going to continue to replenish the supply to meet needs outside of the residences served by the City and to provide masks for the restaurants we are engaging in our restaurant project.

Cornell Cooperative Extention - Michael Dondorfer

Zoom workshops available; recorded videos that can be accessed by teachers. Some of the courses offered are Public Speaking, Horticulture, Agriculture, Weather & Climate, Health & Fitness, Coding & Programming, etc.

SUNY ATTAIN Lab

SUNY ATTAIN Enrollment Link: https://learn.sunyattain.org/local/user/contact.php?s=RCB;
Contact: Alicia.Ward@attain.suny.edu;
Learning Resources: https://support.sunyattain.org/remote-resources/ includes MS Certifications ---- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook, along with Academic & Career Exploration Curriculum.