The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

6-7:30 pm at

Video of this meeting will be found at: https://youtu.be/qjAOkgm4EIQ 

James Patterson joins the meeting at:  https://youtu.be/qjAOkgm4EIQ?t=3119

For a PDF of these minutes click:  SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2021-12-22.pdf

In Attendance:

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

Eleanor Coleman Rotary SW, CFC YouthBuild, 224-5119, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

Lee Loomis School #10 Volunteer Tutor, leeloomis46@gmail.com

Colleen McCarthy MNBN, Lock 66 NA President, 775-8310, lock66neighborhood@outlook.com

James Patterson RCSD Board, james.patterson@rcsdk12.org

Quick update of school news

• Rochester's state legislative delegation, together with several education unions, advocacy groups and district parents, have called on Shelley Jallow to resign from either her post as academic and fiscal monitor in the Rochester City School District or else from her recently disclosed job as regional superintendent of a downstate charter school organization.  This Justin Murphy article covers the issue well: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/education/2021/12/22/state-legislators-unions-call-shelley-jallow-resign-rcsd-monitor/8984505002/ . Patterson noted that her lack of disclosure does not represent honesty, integrity or transparency; we need a person who is giving 110% for the money being paid and the job that needs to be done.

• School #10, Lee Loomis - Tutoring on hold at this time. When kids go home tomorrow, they will be told to take their laptops with them. First couple of weeks in January will probably be virtual in anticipation of increased COVID cases. Less than 1% vaccinated. Don’t know what the number of people is that have taken advantage of the free COVID test kits; suburbs lining up for them.

Rochester Coalition for Public Education (RCPE) News

• John can arrange for anyone to receive emails and updates from the RCPE.

• Next RCPE meeting is Dec. 30^th at 4:30pm.

Walk In Items

• What are the new developments with City administration changeover? City, State & Assembly members commenting on the Jallow issue. Good energy for advocating for community and neighborhood schools and offering local busing that builds neighborhood school attendance.

• John has been in contact with Lashay Harris as a conduit for advising Malik Evans and letting him know what our interests are.

• John also in contact with Caterina L. Mannino, Sr. Director of Staff & Educator Effectiveness in the RCSD Office of Human Capital.

• James Patterson, new RCSD Board member, noted that the morning is safe for walking. The most dangerous times are in the afternoon when the drug dealers and their customers are out. That is why the push for parents & grandparents getting involved with picking up kids. Some kids may have to spend an hour or two after school in a program at the school or at a Rec. Center until; they can be picked up by a parent home from work. This concept supports fiscal responsibility. Can’t keep busing kids cross town into gang territory.

• Patterson noted on busing that he supports that everyone being bused right now should be grandfathered in and not lose their transportation; shouldn’t cut the busing across the board. Can make new decisions about new students entering into those schools. Bottom line, RCSD needs to compete and draw students back.