It Takes A Village...

Two months ago, the community was hit with another immense setback. The Executive Director, of the Rochester Surround Care Community Corp., formerly known as the Rochester Children’s Zone had stepped down. Thus putting the organization further back and in my opinion completely out of reach of finally producing something that will affect our community. This was not only a huge blow to the fledgling efforts of this organization, which was initiated approximately three years ago by Dr. Rivera who ambitioned replicating what is still going on in Harlem; but it also is a devastating setback to our Latino community. This was the first direct concerted effort that I can remember by various organizations within this community to begin to have conversations around addressing the socio-economic barriers involved in educating our children. Unfortunately, like most initiatives that start with these intentions this effort has resulted in little to no community improvements.

Now my reason for writing about this is not about putting down the organizations efforts, but more about raising awareness that this cause and effort cannot be lost. The old proverb and often-used rhetoric clearly states that it takes a village to raise a child, but right now our village is disconnected. Currently within our village we have only small pockets of individuals stepping up and making educating our children, and specifically our Latino and African-American students a priority. It is my fundamental belief that if we focus on educating our community and specifically those individuals of various ethnic backgrounds who live in the heart of the city that then, and only then will we see improvements in our city. This community needs an individual or leadership that is not afraid to put the critical issues at the forefront. A leader, who understands that the health, well-being and social environment of our students directly effects student achievement considerably. When I visit my grandparents who still live off “La Avenida” and I see abandoned house after abandoned house, or I see local drug dealers hustling just a block away, you can’t tell me that these conditions don’t affect our students abilities to perform let alone dream. The social problems and economic gaps our students live in are real, and must be addressed before we worry about implementing a citywide literacy initiative.

It is my hope that regardless of the outcome of R.C.C.C. that someone or some organization of our community will come together to lead the blended efforts in educating our children. A focus on leveling the playing field for students who have economic and health gaps when they enter our school doors. It is also my conviction that these efforts must be lead by an individual who is specific about the intentions of bettering the lives of African-American and Latino students. A realization that the achievement gap isn’t just about those who live in poverty or are in a lower class, but more importantly a gap that has racial significance. An individual that understands these are issues of access and exposure that our current system is not addressing within our community and schools. Again, we know schools cannot do it alone and that education is the key to opening the doors of opportunity, but until someone is specific and targeted we will continue to have racial achievement gaps and efforts that will continue to die out to bureaucracy. I will leave you with this thought or uncertainty, if not you then who, if not now then when?
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¡Viviendo el Sueño! (Living the Dream!)
Mr. Anibal Soler, Jr.
http://www.anibalsoler.com
http://anibalsoler.blogspot.com

Addressing our ailing Rochester City Schools

As I was reading the paper this past weekend I came upon a request by the D&C asking community members their opinion of 6 different questions. I have written the questions below and I will answer the questions to the best of my knowledge. Again let me clearly state that these are my opinions and do not reflect any of the organization I work in. I speak for myself and no one else.

1.What is the most positive thing about city schools?
Diversity. The most positive thing about city schools is the diverse population that it serves. We have students that come from a variety of nationalities and cultures that will define the future of America.

2. Is the Children's Zone a good idea?
Absolutely! The Children's Zone, if modeled correctly after Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone will address the many social inequities that are often blamed as the single reason why students in Urban America fail. It will create schools that are a one stop shop for families. Schools that will offer social and medical services to families who would not receive it otherwise. Schools that will become 24 hour community hubs that will become pillars in their communities. My only fear with the Rochester Children's Zone is like many new initiatives, it brings huge political games especially with the City of Rochester and the Rochester City School District being managed independently. The other issue will be money, it has been two years since the Rochester Children's Zone was started and we have yet to see anything occur other then meetings and discussions. Our time is precious and the longer we wait the thousands we continue to lose. We need individuals who are passionate about this and have the extreme urgency as Mr. Canada had in Harlem.

3. Should more vocational/technical classes be offered?
Yes. When I was a city school student in Rochester, I was focused on attending Edison Tech because it offered me the option to learn a trade or skill that would allow me to immediately obtain employment. Although I was not excepted to Edison I still found academic programs of worth at East High School. The reason why was because the teachers at East showed me relevance on how their Art program would still benefit me even-though it was not a technical graphic arts class. They showed me relevance in what I was doing and based on a program of rigor allowed me to have the artistic skills to work or attend college anywhere. Vocational education is an essential option that needs to be offered in conjunction with the traditional comprehensive high school.

4. Rank in order of importance, and say why:
*A. School Security
*B. Good test scores
*C. Teachers and Principals who care
*D. Cost-effective administration

My ranking would be: A, C, B, D.
School Security is the most important thing that needs to occur in any institution of learning. Without staff and students feeling safe nothing can occur. No learning will occur in an environment that is disruptive and unsafe. The next essential piece is having a staff that cares. A staff that is truly vested in the success of the students. Staff members who go above and beyond with the students and are not tied to what is said on a union contract or if there is additional pay for doing extending themselves. One of my biggest frustrations with staff is a lot of them have never seen the neighborhoods that are student come from and assume that their role as a teacher or administrator ends when the student leaves the building. In inner city schools a teacher is not just a teacher and an administrator is not just an administrator. They will be mothers, fathers, big brothers, big sisters, friends, social worker, counselors and list goes on and on. With a staff that cares you will begin to get students to change the way they approach their education and in turn get the next choice, "Good Test Scores." The test scores will come once the other two items are in place, without the prior two being established nothing will improve.
My last item of importance is cost effective administration. Salary is usually dictated by established unions or reflective of the job market. I know most individuals have a tough time with the salaries made by central office administration. Here is what my solution would be for that I would require that one day of their work week be sent at a building of high need. This would be a school that is not making NCLB's AYP. This new requirement would place these highly qualified and highly paid experts back at the building level thus reminding them of what is truly the focus of their decision making.


5. Who should run city schools? Explain why.
This is an extremely tough question because there are current examples of a city run school district and an independently run school district throughout our country. Both have their pro's and con's and their success and defeats. My main point here is I think most would agree that we would like to see a consistent, vested and visible leader. A Superintendent who is not going to be here for the traditional 3 year term but one who will see his vision and projects through completion.


6. What's the most important quality of a city school leader?
This is a very difficult question because it is like asking what is the most important ingredient in meat-loaf. You would say that all the ingredients are important. I think a city school leader needs a culmination of characteristics, not one of them being more significant than the other but being equally reliant for an effective school leader.
Here is my list of qualities in no significant order: compassion, humble, visible, integrity, dedicated, passionate, knowledgeable and experienced

Once again let me remind you these are my feelings and opinions in response to the Democrat and Chronicle's article.

¡Viviendo el Sueño! (Living the Dream!)
Mr. Anibal Soler, Jr.
www.anibalsoler.com