Information

SW Education Forum

This group is intended for use as a forum for discussing Education topics of interest to our SW Rochester community and for organizing information on our public schools, the RCSD and other education topics.

Location: Rochester, NY
Members: 39
Latest Activity: Aug 27

Objectives and Suggestions

Below is the Discussion Forum which will be used for posting information you think may start a back and forth discussion with other group members.  The body of the Discussion which the author posts can be edited as often as necessary by the author to add information in the future.  Replies posted by others can only be edited for a very brief period by the person posting.  Please proofread it carefully before you post.

The Comment Wall below the Discussion Forum is best suited for posting information that you do not expect to initiate a discussion with and that you want completely visible to someone scrolling down this group page.

Note to the right of this box below the Members box is the Pages box.  The first entry is a page with School Board & Superintendent Contact Info.  That page is followed with a number of index pages to help you find what you are looking for.

SWCC Education Committee Meeting are held on the 4th Wednesday at 6:00pm, On Zoom.  All are welcome.  Contact Jboutet@frontiernet.net for the Zoom Link.

Hopefully this is enough to get us off and running. Don't hesitate to email or call if you have questions.  jboutet@frontiernet.net 328-4271   

Discussion Forum

SWCC Education Committee Minutes on Zoom 2024-07-24

Started by John Boutet Aug 27. 0 Replies

The Education Committee of the SW Common Council7/24/24, Date6-7:30 pm atFor Zoom Link, Contact John Boutet @ jboutet@frontiernet.netMinutes Posted on:…Continue

19WCA Schools Committee Meeting - April 9,2024 on Zoom

Started by John Boutet May 4. 0 Replies

19th WCA Schools Committee Meeting MinutesApril 9, 2024Present: John Boutet, Jane Braband, Douglas Giebel, Josie McClary, Dr. Phyllis Moss, Sara Yaworsky, Bridget WilliamsDr. Moss opened the meeting by Zoom at 7:00 p.m and asked the members present…Continue

SWCC Education Committee Minutes on Zoom 2024-03-27

Started by John Boutet Apr 24. 0 Replies

The Education Committee of the SW Common CouncilWednesday, March 27, 2024, 6-7 pmFor Zoom Link, Contact John Boutet @ jboutet@frontiernet.netMinutes Posted on:…Continue

SWCC Education Committee Minutes on Zoom 2024-02-28

Started by John Boutet Feb 29. 0 Replies

The Education Committee of the SW Common CouncilWednesday, February 28, 2024, 6-7 pmFor Zoom Link for next meeting: Contact John Boutet @ jboutet@frontiernet.netPDF of Minutes:…Continue

SWCC Education Committee Minutes on Zoom 2024-01-24

Started by John Boutet Feb 27. 0 Replies

The Education Committee of the SW Common CouncilWednesday, January 24,20246-7:30 pm on ZoomFor Zoom Link to future meetings contact John Boutet @ jboutet@frontiernet.netMinutes Posted on:…Continue

SWCC Education Committee Minutes on Zoom 2023-11-22

Started by John Boutet Jan 24. 0 Replies

The Education Committee of the SW Common CouncilWednesday, 11/22/236-7:30 pm atFor Zoom Link, Contact John Boutet @ jboutet@frontiernet.netMinutes Posted on:…Continue

Comment Wall

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Comment by Mark Sweetland on August 8, 2012 at 3:10am

All, I certainly did not make myself clear.  I said maybe it was up to the new super. to figure out, but I certainly meant with community input.  That is what we are providing, and hopefully he will listen.  Perhaps a reasonable solution can be found, and we can move to a workable solution for this drastic problem... a city-wide problem.  The more voices the better. 

Comment by Diane Watkins on August 6, 2012 at 11:55am

The Principal and VP have been invited to set up a community conversation about the vision for #16. Once the date, times & place is set up, we need to make sure that neighborhood parents know about it so that they will also support the new and improved  #16.

Comment by Mary Adams on August 6, 2012 at 9:42am

Eleanor is absolutely correct.

 

Comment by Eleanor Coleman on August 6, 2012 at 9:02am

We CANNOT leave it up to the Superintendent to figure out.  A very appropriate quote here is, "If you do the same thing over and over, you get the same results."  We, as a community, have allowed others to make decisions for us.  Somewhere in here we've handed over our power and the understanding that WE are the consumers, these are OUR children, and WE have knowledge and experience about what is working and what is not that comes from raising our children and not a paper document.

Comment by Mark Sweetland on August 6, 2012 at 1:38am

Diane,

I understand your comment on no busing, but ideally, there would be no busing.  We would have community schools where children could walk from their homes, and the schools would be of such excellent quality there would be no question.  How do we achieve this?  Maybe that is up to the new superintendant to figure out.   It would be the ideal, and we would have an excellent city school system with nobody wanting to go somewhere else.   We'll see what happens.

 

Comment by Eleanor Coleman on August 5, 2012 at 9:43pm

The attached chart includes some questions offered by Elliot Washor & Charles Majkowski from an article entitled, "It's Deeper than You think," in the Huffington Post, 2/2/12) that we might ask students to answer in regards to their education:  IMG_NEW.pdf

Comment by Diane Watkins on August 1, 2012 at 1:47pm

Points to Consider from community members:

  • FYI, many people, us included, have encouraged the return to a K-8
  • The Test scores at School 16 have plummeted over the last five years.  Who monitors and mentors the Principals so this sad situation isn’t repeated?  Our children don’t get do-over for the past five years. 
  •  Young families with some means in our neighborhood commonly move away or find private or charter schools for their children when they reach school age.  The children of those who can’t do either are left with this awful school system, growing up without an education that can be considered adequate in any way.  We see the results every day in the young men on our corners, and the young women with no means to support the babies they push in strollers down our streets.  This mess must be fixed, and it must start in pre-K, and it must start today.
  • Principal Marlene Blocker has moved from # 3 school to Wilson Foundation@ the Madison Building
  • It is essential for the future of our neighborhood that we continue to have school choice. 
  • I know of a lot of 19th Ward parents who do not want to send their kids to the closest school (especially school 29) (Question: why is this?), so we absolutely cannot take a "no busing" position
    • It is critical that the 19th WCA respond to the RCSD on this issue as soon as possible.
    • Tanya Wilson, Principal  #29 Kirkland Rd responses in bold: Questions asked of SW Principals:

We would like our work to contribute to the long range stability and improvement for RCSD education in the SW and we need your help. Would you be able to provide any insight on this matter?

Some examples of helpful information are:

  • Is your school slated for the FMP? Currently happening
  • Does your facility meet State requirements for grade 7 & 8 students? it will by the end of summer
  • What percentage of your student population resides in the SW; would it be considered a neighborhood school? Neighborhood school
  • Has your school experienced any of the growing pains revealed at #16? Slight but we adjusted
  • Do you expect that your SW school may face the same fate as #16 in the next 5 years? no
  • In light of declining RCSD enrollment what is your vision for schooling in the SW? What is your current enrollment (2012-13)? Is your school at capacity? Are your classes over crowded? 450, close to capacity, very full classes
  • What about your school is most appealing to potential home buyers in the SW? we are offering 5 high school credits to 8th graders, we partner with B &G club for an after school program, we offer tutoring through Sylvan in our building
Comment by Diane Watkins on August 1, 2012 at 1:47pm

SWCC Education meeting Sat. 7/28/12

In attendance: Alice Carli, Jackie Farrell, Leah Watson, Mary Reese, E, Jamall Watkins, Brenda Driscoll, John Boutet, Terry Davis, Dawn Noto, Deborah Wight, Charlotte Geibel, Joan Roby Davidson

Regrets: Eleanor Coleman, Sandra Fink, Margy Meath, Mary Adams

Highlights:

  • John created a logo to encourage neighbors to stay involved
  • We need to make sure to keep school staff in the loop and invite their opinions as we hash out what we envision for schooling in the SW.
  • How can we get school principals to be more responsive to the community?
    • We should invite Mr Laniak, #16 Principal to a community conversation concerning a shared vision of what the academic programs will be like at #16 when it reopens.
    • Will he still be principal in 2 years? How can the community adjust to frequent staff changes at SW schools?
    • We need to better understand the bussing issue. What are the reasons that the RCSD is bussing so many elementary students? Is it for the $$ that the State reimburses, or for Special Education or advance programs, is it parent preference for convenience or are all of the SW elementary schools filled to capacity?
    • The ways that the community can stay involved:
      • join Location19.org SWCC Education and the SW Education FaceBook page
      • tolerate emails about issues in SW schools
      • write letters to school board, City Council, County Leg., the Supt, the D&C; City, & the Minority Reporter
      • read research reports, news, magazine & journal  articles, blogs, opinion, etc.  and share relevant information with neighbors.
      • Attend community meetings& forums & share what you heard.
      • Make phone calls
      • Bring attention to particular school issues by talking about them w/friends, family & neighbors
      • Share you ideas and internet links to relevant information with the group.
      • start & sign online petitions
      • sit at tabled events to share information with the public; put info in your church bulletin
      • hold rallies and marches
      • RCSD employees who happen also to be parents or neighbors may fear retaliation if they are too active.

 

 

 

Our “To Do” List:

Set up a community conversation with the principals (before the start of school)

Set up forum with Dr Spezio and Mary Thomas in which community members ask questions.

Develop a set of community criterion that school staff can expect us to hold the school accountable to.

Continually encourage more community members, especially parents to become involve in education in the SW and support their continued involvement.

Join the community group that will guide the rebuilding and reopening of #16.

Encourage neighborhood leaders to continue their efforts to impact schooling in the SW with renewed vigor.

Long range: use our influence to impact academic programming, bussing, principal selections and the graduation rates and college success for SW residents.

 

Comment by Joan Roby-Davison on July 27, 2012 at 11:23am

Good results from the School Board meeting last night, with an amendment added by Mary Adams, that resolves that the school will reopen in the fall of the school year immediately following the completion of repairs....without that, it was unclear whether the school would be reopened for students, used for another purpose, or closed. The amendment makes it clear that it will continue to serve the community as a school - and that it can become the neighborhood school envisioned by many of the 19th Ward residents!

 
 
 

SW Merchants

Information Links

These links plus others can also be found under the Links tab.

ABOUT THE 19TH WARD

19th Ward Community Association
Rochester City Living
RocWiki.org

 

ANIMAL RELATED SERVICES

To report animal cruelty, call 911 or  THE ANIMAL CRUELTY HOTLINE: (585) 223-6500

City of Rochester Low-income Spay/Neuter for pet Dogs and Cats

Rochester Community Animal Clinic - low-income spay/neuter for pet dogs and cats, and feral cats

PAWS, Inc.Providing Animal Welfare Services

City of Rochester Adopt a Dog or Cat

Lollypop Farm, The Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County 

 

BUYING A HOME IN THE 19TH WARD

Homesteadnet.com

City of Rochester Property Information

Rochester City Living

Trulia Listed Homes For Sale

UR Home Ownership Program

Zillow listed homes for sale

COMMUNITY LINKS

Arnett Public Library

Brooks Landing

City of Rochester 

John Lightfoot, Monroe County Legislator,District 25

Loretta Scott, City Council President, At Large

LaShay D. Harris, South District

Genesee Valley Park

Metro Justice

RGRTA Bus Information

Minority Reporter

SouthWest Tribune

Rochester Green Living

ROCSPOT

Sector 4 Comm. Developmant Corp

Savor Life Radio Show

Teen Empowerment

WDKX Urban contemporary 103.9 FM

WRUR 88.5 UR and WXXI partnership  88.5 FM

Southwest Family YMCA

UR Gov. & Community Relations


EDUCATION

Rochester Prep Charter School

U.S. Dept. of Education

 

FAITH COMMUNITY

St. Monica Church


BUSINESSES

El Latino Restaurant
D and L Groceries
Hand Crafted Wrought Iron
Jim Dalberth Sports
Menezes Pizza
TOPS Friendly Markets
Staybridge Suites

OUTREACH AND SERVICES

Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning (CPLP)

Dealing with Lead
Drug Activity
Healthy Blocks
HEAP NY Home Heating Assistant
Home Safety Tips    LifeTimesAdultDay Health Care
Medicare
NeighborWorks Rochester
Parking / Abandoned Vehicles
2-1-1 Social Services
ACT Rochester

OTHER

Genesee Co-op FCU

3/50 Project

South Wedge Ning

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