SWCC Education Committee Minutes 2022-03-23

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

6-7:13 pm

For Zoom Link, Contact John Boutet @ jboutet@frontiernet.net

Minutes Posted on: www.locationSW.org/group/sw-education-forum

Attendance:

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

Mary Coffey N. Winton Village Co-Chair;NMBN; Public Safety, marycoffey0@gmail.com

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

Sandra Hay Neighborhood Preservation Program Coordinator, SWAN, 436-3090 x 2, shay@swanonline.org

Lentory Johnson Light the Way/Legacy Pk Sta, 749-3494, lentoryjohnson89@gmail.com

Carmen Jones Community Mgr of Lightfoot R-Ctr, 369-3029, carmen.jones@cityofrochester.gov

Rhonda Neal Wilson Foundation Academy Principal, 507-0274, rhonda.neal@rcsdk12.org

Welcome & Introductions

Quick update of school news

School #10 - Lee Loomis (585) 738-3079 (cell) report via email

As for a status report on the RES Tutoring Team at DWCA (#10 School), I am still awaiting the arrival of a list of recommended books, to share with my Rochester Engineering Society (RES) Tutors, from Dr. Thomas and/or Michele White. I have also requested that I be connected with someone who can guide me through the “process” of getting onto the official DWCA website, to begin the process of putting up “readings” of these books, for students to access on their own time, from home.
This book list, and the “process” for accessing the website, are crucial to my next move, that of recruiting tutor-volunteers to become “RES Readers” for our “Cooper Scholars”.
If Dr. Thomas, or Michele White are in attendance at your meeting, please share this concern with them.

Wilson Foundation Academy (K-8) - Rhonda Neal

Rhonda Neal will have Kimberly Brown, Community Schools Site Coordinator, sit in if she is unable to make it to one of these Education Committee meetings (Kimberly.Brown @rcsdk12.org).
Currently in the middle of testing for Grades 3-8.
WFA is in Receivership School second year; moving in the right direction; working on closing the educational gaps for students.
Hosted a February boot camp for younger children.
8th graders will be recruited for an April boot camp.
School #10 and WFA will be doing summer school together at School #10.

East High School

After failing for several years to get East High School out of receivership, the RCSD convinced the UR to become the EPO (Educational Partnership Organization) for East in 2015 and the NYS Education Department approved the plan.
Shaun Nelms is the superintendent of this EPO. The effort he has led has been very successful.
John Boutet attended the Rochester Coalition for Public Education (RCPE) meeting when Shaun Nelms came to speak to them. A summary of topics covered in in that meeting are listed in Dan Drmacich's notes: Coalition Meeting with Shaun Nelms 2022-02-25, Summary.
Rohnda Neal said she was working with Shaun for 2 yrs when he began the transformation of East High with the EPO. From what she said a lot of what Shaun did is documented on East's web site and has been reviewed at district meetings and board meetings. I need to chase down links.

Local busing update - Please support Assembly Bill 1276 and Senate Bill 4414, if these get passed this session and signed by the Governor we will finally have 1/2 mile busing! Also investigate Child Safety Zone Map

Visit the Assembly and Senate Bill pages and indicate your support!
John Boutet talked with City Council member LaShay Harris to advocate for making sure our interests don’t get lost in the mayoral transition.
We also met with Liliana Ruiz, Executive Staff Assistant / City of Rochester to make sure all the work done with Lovely Warren is passed on to Malik Evans to use Child Safety Zone Map if necessary.

RASE Forum - 2nd Annual anti Gun Violence Essay Contest - Lentory Johnson <lentoryjohnson89@gmail.com>, see attached Non Violence Essay Flyer 22722 (2).pdf and swcc dnation request.pdf .

Rochester Coalition for Public Education (RCPE) News

Meeting with Joe Morelle at 4:30pm tomorrow, 3/25
New members always welcome to RCPE; currently it has many retired school administrators & teachers; limited diversity but trying to diversify; contact person is Dan Drmacich at dandrmacich123@gmail.com
The coalition has been doing a very good job looking at the recommendations of the RASE Forum. A lot of this is documented in Rochester Coalition for Public Education Minutes Index.

Walk in items

19th Ward Education Committee is becoming stronger under direction of Phyllis Moss. Their monthly meetings are usually on the first Tuesday of the month. Contact Phyllis for the Zoom link. Her email is Phyllis Moss drphyllismoss@icloud.com. Her Cell is (585) 451-1686.
Kim Smith (City Council At-Lrg) has attended our February SWCC meeting where we filled her in on work we did with Lovely Warren and our hope for information not getting lost with the change of administration.
We also have had Courtney Thomas, Malik’s Office, Exec Staff Assistant, attend several of our SWCC Ed. Com. Meetings and our SWCC meetings. His email is Courtney.Thomas@CityofRochester.gov and phone is 428-6684.
Want to make sure positive energy surrounding meeting with Lovely Warren last year does not dissipate; this is where the Child Safety Zone map comes in; kids in those areas deserve busing just as in other suburban districts under those conditions. Suburbs can raise taxes to make it happen; Unfortunately, the City can’t.
YouthBuild is recruiting for a new construction class eff 4/11. Contact for orientation is Reg Walton (585) 766-7344.
“Clarissa Uprooted” by Teen Empowerment: https://www.clarissauprooted.org was recommended for viewing.
Suggestion: Invite Wade Norwood, State Regents, or other State official to speak to our group about why we spend more per child but have little success.