Open East End Planning/minutes of 01-15-10

Source: Oeepcoordinator 01:20, January 19, 2010 (UTC)
==Minutes of January 15, 2010 OEEP Meeting==
#'Initial introductions'- About 20 people attended this meeting. There was discussion around each attendee’s concerns and general discussion about concerns regarding reforms and reconfigurations including inequities, safety, lack of community-based, grass roots implementation of reforms, lack of transparency.
#'Discussion about what this panel wants to accomplish'-we want to create several plans for configuration of the East End Schools to present to the District’s East End Advisory Board, the school board, the administration and the public. These plans will be based on facts regarding construction costs, population, needs of the students and needs of the district as a whole.
#Panel member stated that it is imperative that we try to include the district as a whole because to often different sections of the city are purposely divided, therefore voices diluted.
#Consensus that these meetings produce actionable results.
#It is important that we use the expertise and knowledge of this group to inform the work of the District’s committee. 
#'Inquiry was made about the East End Plan' that was developed several years ago. RT said that he would try to locate to provide for the panel.
#'Suggestion made to utilize ex-district employees' that would have knowledge that could inform our work. RT to explore possibility of recruiting for our panel.
#'Problems with the 6-12 grade format'were discussed, including incidents where 6th and 12th graders were in the locker room at the same time and where some felt that younger children were exposed to some influences too soon. In addition, it seems as if Milliones is being held up as an example of a successful 6-12 format, but large numbers of students in the Milliones feeder are opting out or leaving after a year. 
#'Discussion about the potential uses for Westinghouse HS'. CAPA cited as example of program that attracted students to Homewood area. Suggestion was made that a similar outstanding program would bring students to WHS. Is it safest to avoid mixing certain neighborhoods.
#Discussion about the concentration of special needs students (Student Achievement Center [SAC], NcNougher) in one building. Consensus was that this concentration was not in the best interest of the students/district.
#'Discussion regarding the concentration on students living in poverty', consensus that mixed populations serve students and families better. Consider models with lower concentrations of impoverished students. It was noted that the district's high poverty level schools have a high percentage of feeder pattern students opting out of the school. University Prep is intended as a flagship school but a large majority of 9th and 10th grade feeder pattern students have opted out of the school.
#'Suggestion was made that the time for cooperation' and playing by the district’s rules was over and that we need to take more stern measures to make our voices heard. Civil rights law suit suggested. Consensus was that we try to use this panel to influence school configuration while formulating sterner strategy in case we are ignored.
#'KF to present information regarding what portions of the city are most affected by the reforms and reconfigurations.'
#'Discussed plan to establish an OEEP website'. Mark R. to facilitate.
#'Sign up for hearing on 'January 19, 2010', '7PM 'at Reizenstein': Annette, Stephanie, Maurine, Kathy, Marilyn, Randall, Cheryl?, Doug?, Melvin. This is the opportunity to inform the District Committee about concerns/questions that must be answered before suggesting school configurations. Call 412-622-3600 to sign up or sign up at the meeting (must be there before meeting starts to sign up there). Topics to present to the committee at this hearing include:
#'6-12 grade configuration'-district has provided nothing but anecdotal evidence validating this configuration. At the community input session of the facilities review, concerns about the 6-12 grade configurations were most vocalized. 
#'Neighborhood tensions'-concerns over safety regarding mixing Peabody and Westinghouse populations.
#'Reconfigurations are East End heavy'-most changes are occurring in the East End which is still reeling form the last round of closures/reconfigurations (many school changed to K-8, now want to reconfigure again to 6-12).
#'Money being spent'-remodeling middle school building to HS building when we have existing high schools that could accommodate the students
#'Concentration of poverty'-need for mixed student populations
'Data request': the amount of money spent on Reizenstein, Frick, and Milliones and projected expenses on the structures in the future. How much is a Peabody renovation projected to cost? Can MB request this information?
'Tour of facilities'-MB to request tours of the facilities at WHS, Reizenstein, Peabody, Milliones and Frick to assess gym, science, auditorium and cafeteria facilities.
Category:Open East End Planning Hub