The Education Committee of the SW Common Council

Wednesday, 7/27/22

6- 7 pm on Zoom

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

A video of this meeting is at:  https://youtu.be/MUGwSmNrISo

Minutes Posted on:  www.Location19.org/group/sw-education-forum

Attendance:

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

Alicia Evans             Common Ground Health, Alicia.Evans@commongroundhealth.org

Alicia Fonseca         Wilson Commencement Community Schools Site Coordinator, alicia.fonseca@rcsdk12.org

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

Phyllis Moss             19th Ward Ed Chair, drphyllismoss@icloud.com

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

Mary Beth Spinelli   UR Center for Community Engagement, marybeth.spinelli@rochester.edu

Welcome & Introductions

New Superintendent Update

• John has sent out communications noting that Bill Cala (past Superintendent at Fairport) has been recommended for Superintendent based on positive feedback and outcomes when he was acting Superintendent.

• Concern noted that the Board has repeatedly put out national requests for Superintendent vs considering someone local who understands our children, families and our systems. We have talent here.

• Not sure what exact reasons for dismissal of Superintendent but appears to be related to issues with

  • her budget submission

  • significant changes to many schools at once that were not easily implemented - too much change causing upheaval.

  • RTA no confidence vote also played a part in the decision.

  • We are not aware of all the issues that have resulted in the dismissal.

• Important to keep our elected representatives in Albany as they have been helping us with our initiatives.

• Rochester Coalition for Public Education is pushing for Cala to be considered; James Patterson, School Board Commissioner, agrees with this recommendation and is soliciting input from this group.

  • Appears to be some Board pushback.

  • Attornies are handling the negotiations.

  • There is a plan in place but it is not ready for community presentation.

  • Next Superintendent should be willing to live in our community.

• Cala has a very good reputation with parents and students; has remained active.

Local Busing Update

• John B. spoke with Senator Samra Brouk Rochester Area State Delegation and stressed the importance of supporting those in office who have been advocating for our issues. One of those issues most recently is short-distance busing. Because of safety issues, the current busing requirements encourage parents to choose schools on the other side of town which diminishes parent involvement (about 80% of students are bused) and weakens neighborhoods. John has sent out a link to the Rochester Area State Delegation Majority Members 2021-2022, which has done a good job advancing work on legislation we need for cities like Rochester. Important to make sure our supporters are reelected.

• In the 2020-21 year Assemblymember Bronson did not submit a local busing bill because he would not get support for it. This year thanks to the new progressive majoprity in albany, the a 1/2 mi. busing bill was introduced before we started to agitate for it for it.

Receivership

• Legislation pertaining to changes in the Receivership law was submitted as Legislation (S9284) and is in committee. John not able to get clarity on what impact it would have. Currently if school is not living up to state requirements, they go into Receivership; Superintendent has more power to require systemic changes in the school.

• CET Teams are created that includes community connections and schools report back progress or lack thereof.

• Suggestion is to keep the CET’s going after school is out of Receivership so community involvement can be maintained.

• The S9284 bill would require underperforming schools to still have to meet specified requirements but new process appears to be more instructive than punitive.

19th Ward Education Committee - Phyllis Moss

• Next meeting of 19WCA School Committee will be 8/9 vs 8/2.

• Working on after school programming for reading.

• School #10 allowing Lee Loomis back in for tutoring to start in October.

• Phyllis also working on tutoring options and pooling those resources so that they can be made available to parents.

UR Center for Community Engagement - Mary Beth Spinelli

• Operating a program on Saturdays at UR called "Learning and Exploring At Play" (LEAP) for K to 4th graders; catering to students who may not have access to enrichment programming.

• LEAP clases are 9:30am - 12:30; parents can drop children off; there is a bus if family is located by School #33 crosstown.

• Engage students in science, math, reading, social studies, art, etc. through games, activities, experiments, etc.

• Not teaching to NYS Curriculum; not a formal teaching program.

• Goal is to have children get excited about learning, build confidence and problem solving skills that you can use in an educational setting.

• Students linked 1:1 or 1:2 tutors who are undergraduates.

• Currently accepting more students; about 20 openings. Waiting list kept.

• Not a subject-specific tutoring program.

• Flyer available: LEAP Partner Child Recruitment flyer 2022.pdf

Common Ground Health - Alicia Evans

• Alicia is a parent of 2 RCSD graduates and one current senior; they live in the 19th Ward.

• Alicia is the Healthy Schools Project Coordinator for Healthy Kids at Common Ground Health, which focuses on healthy food and nutrition, physical activity, and wellness policies.

• Workgroup of parents and stakeholders came up with a list of recommendations for the Healthy Kids Task Force; the Board adopted all 20 recommendations.

• Participate with PlayRocs, an initiative that includes parents, partners, and community members, Next PlayRocs is 8/6; HealthiKids website lists the many sites that have the community activities.

Rochester Coalition for Public Education (RCPE)

• Lots of public education information is sent out from RCPE committee.

• Dan Drmacich, dandrmacich123@gmail.com, is the RCPE committee coordinator.

RASE Forums

• Jalil Muntaqim involved in addressing institutional racism and mobilizing parents to demand RCSD make proper use of 1.1 billion $ budget

• Jalil Muntaqim, jmuntaqim@citizenactionny.org, Special Projects Coordinator, Citizen Action of New York, Rochester Chapter

• John staying connected to RASE updates; 8/17 is next meeting and he will provide updates.

Student Representation on 19th Ward Community Association Strategic Planning Board

• Hoping to engage students to help the 19th Ward Community Association with their Strategic Planning (what does community need, what funds might be available, etc.).

• Alicia Fonseca from Wilson Commencement interested in being involved with preparing students for this role. Does not want students to be asked as observers; need to have an active role.

• Alicia Evans and Alicia Fonseca will connect to explore mutual youth engagement opportunities.

• Lee Loomis suggested having upper class students help out with tutoring at School #10. Alicia Fonseca will connect with Lee to make this happen. This would fall under the “community service” requirements for seniors.

• Stella Wang, UR Professor who lives in the community, also a resource for student involvement.

• Phyllis more concerned with latchkey kids with whom she is on Zoom. Important to collect information for available aftercare. Would like to work together and make resources available to parents.

Phyllis putting together a calendar of meetings for parents and would like to include CET meetings. First Wilson Commencement CET meeting will be 8/22.

Kelly Briggs invited Phyllis to be a guest at a presentation of 4 PD’s she’s done on Asset Mapping. Phyllis was able to get some numbers for our area and it appears our numbers are pretty good.

Notes transcribed from video by our scribe, Eleanor Coleman, CFC YouthBuild & Rotary, 224 -5119, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com