Candice Lucas, parent representative to the Facilities Master Plan Committee (FMP) for the RCSD, will meet with us at 2:00 PM Sunday at Boulder Coffee to discuss our concerns and plans for the School 16 revitalization effort in the 19th Ward.  She has a Monday meeting with the Facilities Master Plan Committee and wanted to meet with us beforehand.  The FMP Committee will make recommendations to Superintendent Vargas in mid September on the future use of the RCSD facilities.

A good friend sent me these links on (1) reasons to opt out of standardized testing:  http://12most.com/2012/04/09/unconventional-reasons-to-opt-out-stan...  and (2) why to consider home-schooling: http://12most.com/2012/02/07/compelling-reasons-to-homeschool-child....  So I have a question:  If a single parent has no choice but to work, can they still take advantage of home-schooling in some way?

Some interesting news from Dan: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Southwestgoodnews/permalink/4137344...

Computer Recycling for Education

If you are interested in seeing how Rochester schools are doing compared to the region, state or country, ACT Rochester has a ton of data that you can access via the following link:

Back to School...ACT Rochester Education Feature

As you may know, the plan for closing the 19h Ward’s elementary schools is justified by the proposed construction of a new large school that will house all of the students who now attend #10, #16, and #44 – roughly 1000 children in grades K-8.  The rationale is purely budgetary. The District claims it is less expensive to pursue this strategy than to renovate the existing schools and maintain a K-6 model

However, recent research reports that small schools - not just small class sizes - enhance the likelihood of student success in all but the most high-achieving student populations.  The more disadvantaged the student population, the more important it becomes to keep the school size modest, especially in grammar school.

Attached SUMMARY.doc is a small sampling of some of the research that has been done on the subject of small vs. large schools.

Don't overlook the value of joining the group.  I know that you can look at anything on Location19 without signing-up or signing-in and you can look at most group content without joining the group.  On social issues however being visible and counted matters.  Political decisions are made on the basis of how many care and are going to rock our boat.  There are currently  over 500 signed up members on Location19 and there are more who visit the site but have not signed up.   How many of you join the SW Education Group sends a message on how important these issues are to you.  Being counted matters!

Here is an essay that should be read by all.  It points to why it is so important to insist on small neighborhood schools that are closely linked to the neighborhood and evaluated by involved parents and community members who insist on good education for their children.  You can't leave it to "the system".

Why Johnny Can't Think

The Politics of Bad Schooling

A good example of neighborhood events that don't happen when kids get bused to schools outside their neighborhoods can be found in the post:  Neighborhood Event with School 29.  Children attending their neighborhood schools is important to building community bonds that help children develop pride in their neighborhood and a love for their local library.

The School 16 location on Post Ave is about the same distance from the Arnett library as is School 29.

In case you have not seen the Event post the SW Education Committee is meeting Monday Feb. 4 at 6pm at the Arnett Library:  SW Education - Neighborhood School Revitalization - February Update...

**  Be sure to check out today's D&C Guest Essayist article where Dr. Vargas talks about:

"Neighborhood schools. We plan to achieve this district-wide, so that families want to choose their nearby neighborhood school."

"In Albany, I asked for funds to buy more time for Rochester students. We also requested a change in transportation policy that .....  will provide state aid to bus students less than 1.5 miles, making neighborhood schools more convenient."

These are things we have been pushing for and it is great to see the State and the District shifting in the same direction!

Now, if we could just get our neighborhood school back in the neighborhood, we would be all set!

You can read the whole article at:http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130202/OPINION02/3020...

He also mentions:  "We welcome community input. The first of three public “open houses” on the school budget is at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, in the Rochester International Academy on the Jefferson campus on Edgerton Park. Please email ideas or questions to balancedbudget@rcsdk12. org, or call (585) 262-8682."

Unfortunately this first of the three meeting overlaps our February 4th Education Committee meeting but we will try to get a representative there.  The other Budget "open house" meetings will be the Feb. 12th at Central Office at 6:30 pm and then on Feb. 26 at Montessori Academy at Dr. Freddie Thomas School (625 Scio St.) at 6:00 pm.

** Just heard from mark Sweetland that there is a very timely Essay in City Newspaper by Ralph Spezio describing "A better model for neighborhood schools".

In the article Ralph describes his "Community Accredited Schools Model" which involves having "A joint body, co-chaired by a community member (tied to the neighborhood association) and the school principal would serve as the governance framework to monitor and sustain this collaboration."

This is the model Ralph described to us at our August 13 meeting and that we will probably be looking at for School 16.

The City Newspaper article can be found at: http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/a-better-model-for-... .

**  I received a note forwarded to me today from one of our committee members, Chojy Schroeder, about a new video series launch that sounds very interesting:

---------------------------

Dear Educator,

Jan. 31 IDEA launched *A Year at Mission Hill*, a 10-part video series about a remarkable public school in Boston, and a collective effort to seed a sustained conversation about what great teaching and learning really *looks like* -- and requires.

Every other week until June, a new 5-minute video will be released on many different platforms, including www.ayearatmissionhill.com.

Each video is both a chapter in a larger story about a single school, and a “communications comet” to which we can all attach cool things that get people excited about reinventing American public education.

*That's where you come in.

*In the weeks and months ahead, please watch the series, share it widely, and add your voice to the conversation* -- *on Facebook a href="http://www.facebook.com/ayearatmissionhill" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/ayearatmissionhill>;, Twitter (#Year atMH), and every other way -- virtual or in person -- that makes sense.*

*Let's make 2013 the year we start to elevate a different set of stories about teaching and learning. *

---------------------------

Ammunition to convince school to participate in "Safe Routes to Schools" Check out this article:  http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/02/kids-who-walk-or-b...

Link from Dan DeMarle:

Urban Education and the “The State Just Can’t Afford It” Excuse on ...

Here are links to July 11, 2013 Education Opportunity Network

• A “No Excuse” Approach To Education Everyone Can Support
• Steve Zimmer (Los Angeles School District) on Why Class Size Matters
• Students in Poverty Show Lower Planning Skills, Study Finds
• Students Who Take Tougher Graduation Exams Are More Likely To Wind Up In Jail
  
• New California School Funding Formula Gives More MoneyTo Help Low-Income, ESL Students
• Taking the Caring Out of Teaching

The ribbon cutting ceremony Enrico Fermi School No. 17 is this Thursday and it will be a great chance to see the renovated building!  Check out the PDF:  Ribbon_Cutting_Ceremony.pdf

This should serve as a model for us for School 16.

Family, teacher, community solidarity during School of the Arts invitation-only meeting with NYS Education Department Commissioner John King.  https://www.facebook.com/events/467292296701819/

The ribbon cutting ceremony for Helen Barrett Montgomery -  School 50 is tomorrow, Thursday (8/29).  School 50 was renovated in only one year! 

The SWCC Education Committee is holding it's September meeting on Wednesday the 4th in PLEX at 6:30pm in Carlson Commons.  I hope all the teachers who attended the last meeting held at the Thurston Y will come and will have contacted parents of their students to encourage them to participate in this meeting at 70 Coretta Scott Crossing.  I hope we will have participation from parents, teachers and principal so we can work together to make the needed changes that will turn our schools around. 

I would hope we will see many participants from PLEX, COTS and SWAN come to this meeting to join in the conversation.  We need to work in all our neighborhoods to take back our schools and bring them back to being neighborhood schools where most students attending are from the school's feeder patterns where parents can more easily participate in their children's school.

Please spread the word and come to this meeting.

A statement against Gates-Mckinsey consulting resolution and privatization from Mary Adams.

This essay highlights issues that we and candidates for the Board of Education should be aware of as they explain their qualifications for guiding the course our school district in the coming years:

http://maryadamsrcsd.org/my-statement-against-the-gates-mckinsey-an...

Here are links from Mary with more food for thought about the school closing issues that are plaguing our district:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/school-turnarounds-prompt-community-b...

http://saveourschoolsmarch.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities...

http://www.empathyeducates.org/showDiary.do;jsessionid=9C18C4548A68...

Please be sure to get familiar with the candidates and VOTE!

>Interactive: 2013 Rochester School Board race

From the Parent Center of the RCSD.

A Professionally Facilitated Discussion Group for…
Parents, grandparents and other caregivers who want to know how to talk to their young children about sexuality and healthy relationships.
Every Tuesday Afternoon in October, 3-5pm
Lincoln Library, 851 Joseph Avenue, Rochester, NY 14621

On August 13, 2012, just over a year ago, we invited Ralph Spezio and Luis Aponte to come and talk to the SWCC Education Committee to plot a course for reviving School 16 which had been closed on Post Avenue and moved to Scio Street.  A year later finds the 19th Ward Community Association's School's Committee reactivated to take on that challenge and Ralph Spezio back at the helm of School 17.  The vote of confidence that the RCSD has placed in Ralph's vision for reviving our schools bodes well for our hopes for bringing back School 16 as a neighborhood school.  Check the latest news on Ralph and School 17, For Rochester's School 17, a new space and a familiar face in Ralph...,  and the notes from August 2012, Meeting minutes from School 16 Revitalization - A discussion with R....  The message has been constant.

Green Rochester candidates, Lori Thomas (School Board) & Dave Atias (City Council), discussing the state of our school district. http://new.livestream.com/greenrochester/events/2373929

Here is a good essay from Liz Hallmark.

Web Essay: No shortcuts to learning

Here is more information about Liz Hallmark's background, qualifications and positions:  RCSD adeq Qs.docx ,  LD letter.docx

News and views for progressive change in education A project of the Institute for America's Future, in partnership with the Opportunity to Learn Campaign JEFF BRYANT, Editor

September 10, 2013

From Tiana Stephens:

There are nearly 40 spots available for children who are 4 y.o. & live in Rochester but the deadline to enroll is Wednesday 10/2!!
The program has an excellent reputation and provides tremendous learning opportunities to children in need. Studies show they advance 21 months in a 9 month period.
If you have contacts in locations where this news can be shared, please let them know about it. The contact number is 262-8140.

Rochester City School District We could really use your help promoting our UPK program. There are nearly 40 spots available for chi...

Here is a link posted by Dan DeMarle.

November 5th is going to be interesting for schools in Colorado:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/29/opinion/bruni-a-bold-bid-for-bett...

Here is a website John Laing brings to our attention.  It has a lot of information on Common Core.

http://www.engageny.org/

-> Get to know the candidates for School Board and GO VOTE! 

The election is Tuesday November 5th. 

Please get out and vote.

Almost all the candidates were at the Presbyterian Church School Board Candidates Forum last Wednesday.

Check out the video:

->  If you missed the names of the candidates in the video in my last post, here they are in the order of their appearance:

COMMISSIONER OF SCHOOLS

(You vote for 3)

CANDICE A LUCAS           Working Families, Independence 

VAN WHITE                      Democratic, Working Families, Independence

MIA C HODGINS               Republican

RONALD HALL                 Freedom    

JOSE A CRUZ                    Democratic, Working Families, Independence

LORI F THOMAS               Green 

HOWARD J EAGLE            Freedom

• Not present: CYNTHIA A ELLIOTT       Democratic           

New RCSD Report Cards for 2013-14

New Report Card flyer.pdf

Check out The Rochester Education Foundation - Give Back, Give Books

-> South Zone - Elementary School Selection Booklet for School Year 2013-2014

Here are Mayor Elect Lovely Warren's education transition focus group's recommendations.  They are inviting public comment through December 20 at this page: http://warrentransition.com/have-your-say/

Here is some interesting news.  http://newsle.com/article/0/108098115/  I'm not issuing a call to arms for or against anyone but we should probably get familiar with Wade Norwood who is local and decide what we want to do.

On Tuesday Jan 28, 2014 from 6:00 to 8:00pm:

The School Board Ad Hoc Committee on Common Core Implementation meets monthly -- Jan 28 will feature presentation by Dr. Susan Goodwint “Teaching and Learning Informed By Cultural Knowledge”

Here is an encouraging look at the positive impact the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence is having in our Schools:

Douglass and Wilson students flocking to Non-Violent Clubs supporte...

-> Updated PLEX C.A.M.P.U.S. map from John Curran (2/26/14): 

     PLEX Campus & BOA.pdf

this was in the morning round up this morning.  thought you might be interested after our discussion on charter schools last night  http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/207115/common-core-conf...

Mayor Tom Richards named to RCSD board | WHEC.com