News From SWW

May 10, 2002 - Week of May 6th Events

To: CCSE Members,SWW Community Board & Other Concerned Educators & Citizens
From: Dan Drmacich
Subject: Week of May 6th Events

On Monday, May 6th, Bill Cala ( Supt. of Fairport Central Schools) Rich Ryan (Professor of Clinical Psychology @ U of R) and I, presented to a group of about 50 Monroe Community College students & faculty at MCC. Lauren Pivnick, Chair MCC's Dept. of History, Sociology, Political Science & Anthropology & a '76 SWW graduate, moderated the presentation & follow-up discussion. The event was jointly organized by the SWW Community Board & CCSE.

On Wednesday, May 8th, Adam Urbanski, President of the Rochester Teachers Association, and Meg Callahan, Professor of English @ U of R, presented to about 30 interested educators & community people at East High School. Meg shared the results of a 3 year study that she helped conduct in the Buffalo area. The ancedotal evidence was powerful in that it focused on the impact of Regents Exams on Teachers through their voices. Adam's remarks were especially vital to our cause in that he informed us that he had pushed through a resolution in NYSUT that opposed the negative impact of HSST on students & teachers, and pledged to assume a very active role in promoting the issue once the budget crisis in Rochester begins to subside. I'm sure we are all looking forward to the leadership role Adam can bring to our cause.The East High event was co-sponsored by CCSE, RTA & the Rochester Teacher Center.

Also, on Wednesday, Windsor Wade, a School Without Walls teacher, participated in a presentation to the Black & Latino Caucus in Albany, with other members of the NYS Performance Based Assessment Schools Consortium. Windsor reported that the Caucus, overall, was very receptive to proposed legislation that would allow schools, based on parent vote, to opt out of Regents Exams, and have students involved in more meaningful performance-based assessment.Several of us are working on obtaining Republican sponsorship for the bill, which I will share as soon as I receive an attachment copy via e-mail.

Next meetings:

• CCSE : May 29th (Weds.@ 4:30) at SWW
  
• SWW Community Board: Thurs. May 23rd @ 4:30 @ SWW

Please e-mail me if you are unable to attend your respective meeting.

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