july 15 - 21 2013

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BlackWomenareIncreasingly

in Charge of Upstate School Districts

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In This Issue:
july 15 - 21 2013
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CALENDAR

MINORITYREPORTER
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july
something special at the Gallery Store. Visit mag. rochester.edu for details. 18 - August 8 Windstream Party in the Park Time: 5:00pm-10:00pm Location: Riverside Festival Site, at the corner of Exchange Blvd and Court St. Buskers, Bands and Food Trucks! New this year, Party in the Park will showcase some of Rochesters best local food truck cuisine! 19 Bands on the Bricks Featuring Los Lonely Boys Time: 6:00pm-10:00pm Location: Rochester Public Market, 280 North Union One of Rochesters most popular concert series, Bands on the Bricks brings the Rochester Public Market to the evening set with live music through the summer months! 2013 Bands on the Bricks will be run on Fridays, July 12, July 19, July 26, August 2 and August 9.Gates open at 5:30p.m. and the music runs 6 - 10p.m. FREE EVENT 24 Noontime Concert Series at Aqueduct Park Time: Noon - 1:00pm Location: Take a Break with Us on Wednesdays!A past concert at Aqueduct Park Head to Aqueduct Park to listen to local musicians play on Wednesdays during the summer 31 Food Truck Rodeo Time: 5:00pm-10:00pm Location: Rochester Public Market Food Truck Rodeo brings our communitys eclectic array of mobile food stands together at the Rochester Public Market. The 2013 rodeo will run on the final Wednesday of each month. Its fun on four wheels with over 23 vendors serving up their unique cuisine on paper plate.Just about everything and anything that is served from the back of a truck will be featured from food vendors including La Petit Poutine, The Sammich Guy, Cheese & Confused, Potatoes to Go ... and many more! Beer will be provided by Rohrbach Brewing Company, as well!. In addition, enjoy some local tunes from local talent each Rodeo night.

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14 -Aug. 9 Bands on the Bricks Time: 6:00pm-10:00pm Location: Rochester Public Market One of Rochesters most popular concert series, Bands on the Bricks brings the Rochester Public Market to the evening set with live music through the summer months! 2013 Bands on the Bricks will be run on Fridays, July 12, July 19, July 26, August 2 and August 9.Gates open at 5:30p.m. and the music runs 6 - 10p.m.

in Charge of Upstate School Districts

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{COVER

PG 8 - 9

Black Women are Increasingly in Charge of Upstate School Districts

{LOCAL

PG 4 - 7

Ibero-American Action League Seeks to Improve Latinos Education Standards Teen Driver in Brighton Schooo Bus Crash Pleads MCC Stakes its Claim Permanently Downtown After Kodak Purchase Vargas Appoints New Principal to School No. 3 Aids Care Announce Name Change to Trillium Health

17 Noontime Concert Series Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm Location: Aqueduct Park, Main St. at the Genesse River, 23 E. Main St A FREE noontime concert series will be held Wednesdays, July 10 - Aug. 7, from Noon to 1 p.m., at Aqueduct Park. FREE EVENT. 18 THIRD THURSDAY AT MAG Time: 5:008:00 pm Location: Memorial Art Gallery Enjoy half price museum admission, tapas, wine and beer for purchase from Max at the Gallery, live music, a 7 pm lecture by Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition artist Jerry Alonzo, and
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Dear Editor: With regard to teachers being absent from school, I want to make sure people are aware that there are solutions to our districts problems. I have been a teacher for the Rochester City School District since 1992. Currently, I am a per-diem substitute teacher K-12. Here are some solutions: 1. Hire more Home/Hospital Instructors. These dedicated certified teachers teach 4 students per day, 2 hours per day. They service long-termsuspended students, young mothers, school phobics, and students that are in the hospital. The RCSD used to carry a staff of 90 H/H Instructors until budget cuts. Their responsibilities included: finding their students, teaching the students, and recommending longterm students back to school when they were ready, 2. Provide more alternative programs, i.e. a BOCES downtown. 3. Bring back Josh Lofton - an alternative school for troubled students, 4. Bring back Clinton Avenue Learning Center - an alternative school that serviced long-term-suspended students. CALC had ten self-contained classrooms with 15 students per classroom in a well-run school. The students got to school by public transportation, had no breakfast, four hours of instruction, and no lunch. Students were recommended back to school by their teacher when they were ready. The students had to attend school every day, have good behavior, and complete classroom assignments. I do not remember assigning any homework. There was also a staff member that would help a student transition back to school. Teachers responsibilities included: teaching and making home visits. 5. Have administrators and teachers live in the city and have their kids attend city schools, 6. Have social welfare benefits be affected by their kid(s) performance in school: attendance, behavior, and grades, 7. Full-day Universal Pre-k for all 3 and 4 year olds, 8. Test all kids before pre-k and teacher influence, cognitively and socially. If the students do not know how to respect themselves, peers, or adults, they will be held back from preschool. At this point the kids will get services to help them gain social skills, doctors, social workers, etc. 9. Universal Pre-K teachers will have to report all bullying acts to an administrator, who will then report it to the students guardian. 10. Trained, certified teachers will continue providing instruction in InSchool-Suspension rooms, not teacher assistants as proposed! -- Peter A. Burkin

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Birth Date: May, 1998 is an intelligent, soft-spoken, sweet young lady. She enjoys drawing, reading, singing, and spending time with her friends. While Kirvonna may pass up a plate of sushi, you can be sure shell be ready if youre headed to the local Chinese restaurant! In regular 9th grade classes, she enjoys school and her Photograph by Zach Thomas favorite class is Latin. Kirvonna is currently enrolled in advanced placement and honors classes. She hopes to attend the University of Miami and become a veterinarian. She loves dogs and would do well in a home with pets. Kirvonna is one of ten siblings and needs a family who will understand and support her desire to maintain birth family connections. She is open to adoption and needs a committed, loving forever home. If youre interested in learning more about Kirvonna or other waiting children, visit: www.ChildrenAwaitingParents.org or call 585-232-5110.

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4 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21| 2013

LOCAL

Ibero-American Action League Seeks to Improve Latino Education Standards

Hilda Rosario Escher, president and CEO of Ibero-American Action League is concerned and determined to find an answer and solution to why the Latino graduation rates continue to drop while Latino dropout rates continue to rise. Escher along with community leaders, churches, neighborhood focus groups and other concerned citizens hosted a press conference to address the recent drop in graduation numbers in the city schools Wednesday. New statistics show that the graduation rate for 2013 has dropped by over 10 percent compared to last year. It deeply concerns us as an agency to see these new graduation statistics, Escher said. This is not only a Rochester problem, it is a national problem; and although we are not exempt we need to come together and begin to work for the betterment of our young people. In October 2010 Ibero-American Action League held a focus group and presented to the community a study that was done in collaboration with the University of Rochesters Warner School of Education, supported by the Rochester City School District and former superintendent Jean-Claude Brizzard. The team did extensive research regarding education in the City of Rochester. The report detailed the contributing factors that result in Latino students either dropping out of school or not graduating. Students interviewed for the study said violence within the school, school security failures, transportation issues, and racism were all major distractions from their educational success causing them to drop out or not graduate on time. Escher said in addition to what the students mentioned, there are other issues as welllanguage being the most difficult. I believe that the language barrier is the biggest issue and as the Latino community increases, youre going to have more kids with a language barrier, Escher said. Its not just one issue, its several race issues, safety issues that involve many other kids of ethnic backgrounds. We need dual language classes and more teachers. The report recommended the implementation of specific action items that were thought to help remedy the direct and indirect issues affecting high school education, including better security standards and policies in the schools, more communication between the school and the parents of Latino students, workshops centered on racial tolerance, inclusion and social justice for students and staff. Escher said some of the recommendations were to increase the availability of bilingual programs. We need bilingual programs that already exist to be expanded and brought to all the schools. We need an increase in community-based programs because the students feed off of the support of the community in their attendance and motivation to stay in school. The next step is basically having conversations

Hilda Rosario Escher with the superintendent to see what can be done. We have a meeting scheduled with Dr. Vargas. The Chair of the Education Task Force, Anthony Plonczynski; Rochester City School Board Commissioner, Melisza Campos; members of The Education Task Force committee and other community leaders, including leaders from the Hispanic community were in attendance.

Teen driver in Brighton school bus crash pleads

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - John Zakhary the 17-year-old was driving a BMW that slammed into the back-end of a slow-moving school bus on Warren Ave. has pleaded guilty to assault and reckless driving charges in a deal that will send him to jail for four weekends. Local media outlets report John Zakhary entered the plea Wednesday in Monroe County Court to two felony counts of second-degree assault and single misdemeanor counts of thirddegree assault and reckless driving. In addition to the jail time, hell do 12 jail work weekends, 200 hours of community service and be on probation for five years. Zakhary and three other Brighton High School students in the car were hurt when he rear-ended the bus on Oct. 9 in the Rochester suburb. None of the four students on the bus or their driver was hurt. John Zakhary

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LOCAL

MCC Stakes its Claim Permanently Downtown After Kodak Purchase

Monroe County has completed the purchase of Eastman Kodak Company property for Monroe Community Colleges (MCC) new Downtown campus early Wednesday afternoon. Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and MCC President Anne M. Kress made the announcement. "For more than a decade, MCC students, faculty, and staff have waited patiently for local leaders to work together and deliver a state-ofthe-art Downtown campus fitting of the College's world-class academic reputation," said Brooks. "Today we reached another milestone in that long journey when Monroe County, acting as the College's primary government sponsor, completed the purchase of MCC's future State Street home. I would like to thank President Kress, the MCC Board of Trustees, the MCC student body, SUNY Chancellor Zimpher, and the strong bi-partisan support of the Monroe County Legislature for advancing this important project." The purchase received unanimous support from the SUNY Board of Trustees and was authorized by the Monroe County Legislature in February for $2.999 million. Finalizing this sale puts us one step closer to transforming our temporary presence downtown into a permanent one, said Kress. My thanks go to County Executive Brooks and her team, the Monroe County Legislature, the SUNY Board of Trustees, the MCC Board of Trustees and the thousands of other individuals who have supported our search for a campus that meets the standard this community deserves: a campus that balances fiscal responsibility with inspiration for our students." The process of securing architectural services for the design of the new campus is underway. The College hopes to occupy its permanent downtown campus in 2017. "As a longtime supporter of a downtown campus, I'm glad to see MCC moving into the Kodak Building, said Kenneth Warner, Executive Director, UNICON. I believe that this move will bring jobs to local labor and will make great advancements for the downtown atmosphere. Congratulations to President Kress and everyone else who has worked hard on this project." The new Downtown Campus has the strong support of MCC students, who have long supported the Kodak site. I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who played a role in making this day happen, making this move possible, said Deborah L. Leach, who is Damon City Campus Student Events and Governance Association (SEGA) President, 2013-14. It means so much to us at Damon City Campus to have a place to call our own. Because of this move we will be able to house more students and more programs. This move gives us more green space, more places for students to gather. It will also allow us to hold more quality events for our students.

Vargas Appoints New Principal to School No. 3

After enlisting three former Rochester City School District (RCSD) leaders last week to help turn around failing city schools, Superintendent of Schools Bolgen Vargas is calling on another educational expert for help. Vargas last week appointed Rodney Moore, a middle school administrator from Virginia, as Principal of Nathaniel Rochester School No. 3. Moore brings 19 years of experience as a professional educator to Rochester, including 12 years as an administrator at middle schools in the Fairfax County and Loudon County public school districts in Virginia. He is a member of the National Association for Secondary School Principals, the Association for Middle Level Education, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the National Alliance of Black School Educators. Since 2006, Mr. Moore has been the first and only Principal of Stone Hill Middle School in Ashburn, Virginia, which currently educates nearly 1,400 students in grades 6 through 8. In 2011, the school was recognized as a top achiever on the Virginia Schools to Watch list sponsored by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. The school has also received a Competence to Excellence award from the Virginia Board of Education, and was named a Top School by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. Rodney Moore is a proven school leader with a track record of success in other districts, and we are delighted that he bringing his talents to Rochester, said Vargas. I am confident that he will work aggressively and effectively to improve student achievement for the families at School No. 3, and that his fresh perspective will be a resource for other District administrators and teachers. Moore is will assume his post later this month. His appointment must be approved by the Board of Education, which is expected to vote at the July 29th meeting.

Rodney Moore

Strong Museum to house Toy Industry Hall of Fame

The great minds of the toy industry will be honored alongside their famous creations when the Toy Industry Hall of Fame combines with the National Toy Hall of Fame under a partnership announced Tuesday. The 5,000-square-foot National Toy Hall of Fame gallery at the Strong museum in Rochester will undergo $4 million in renovations, with the goal of opening the combined hall in the fall of 2015. The Toy Industry Hall of Fame, whose inductees have included Milton Bradley, Frederick August Otto Schwarz, Walt Disney and George Lucas, has been without a physical presence for about eight years following the closure of the International Toy Center in New York City. Leaders of both halls have been talking for some time about combining the two as a way to raise their visibility and exposure and to promote their educational missions. With its unique emphasis on the power of play, the Strong is an ideal home for this homage to both the toys that have influenced generations of children and the innovative minds that brought them to life, Carter Keithley, president of the Toy Industry Association, said at a news conference at the Strong museum, where items like alphabet blocks, roller skates, the Frisbee, Lincoln Logs and the stick occupy places of honor. The combined halls, with high-tech and hands-on interactive displays, will enable visitors to explore how cultural trends, gender and changing technologies have shaped the design, production and marketing of toys, officials said, including how games like Monopoly and The Game of Life reinforced faith in capitalism and the pursuit of the American dream. The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1998 and accepts nominations from anyone. A national selection committee composed of historians, educators and others choose the annual selections. The Toy Industry Hall of Fame was established in 1985 by the Toy Industry Association and inducts about two people a year from among industry nominees.

LOCAL
AIDS Care Announce Name Change to Trillium Health
Last week, AIDS Care, CEO Jay Rudman, announced the organization changed their name to Trillium Health. Rudman says the new name will give the organization a more welcoming image and expand their services. Our new name and services offered at Trillium Health are more reflective of the unique benefits we provide for our patients, Rudman said. We represent a more inclusive patient reach. New services offered at Trillium Health will include womens and lesbiangay-bisexual and transgender (LGBT)specific health care in addition, to the current array of services: primary care, specialty care, on-site pharmacy and laboratory, sexual health and preexposure HIV prevention, nutrition, counseling, and supportive services.

7 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21 | 2013

PUZZLES

AIDS Care has been a regional nonprofit health organization that has provided medical care and support services to individuals living with HIV for more than 30 years across the Rochester, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions. Trillium Health will extend our model of care to HIV negative individuals who are seeking a better health-care experience and who may have unmet health needs, said Rudman. Several dignitaries were in attendance to share in the announcement, including Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter, State Senator Joseph E. Robach, State Assemblyman Harry B. Bronson and Bryant Sanders, Regional Assistant in the Office of Senator Kirsten E Gillibrand. Across 1. Downed a sub, say 4. Gown 9. Biblically yours 12. Allow 13. Colonels insignia 14. Distress 15. Head wreath 16. Church singers 18. In the character of 20. Coin of Afghanistan 21. Boring 24. Hot casino destination in China 28. Sandwich cookie 29. Rap sheet letters 32. James ___ in spy novels 33. Set afire 34. NCO part 35. Jar top 36. Sgt. Snorkels dog 38. First-aid, for one 39. Stew 40. Strapped 42. Same elements, different atom arrangements 44. Granola ingredient 46. Coffee holder 47. Quesadilla side (2 words) 52. Vex 55. Dupes 56. ___, I love you, wont you tell me your name The Doors 57. Take to court 58. Time 59. Small fry 60. Sawbuck Down 1. Its ___ over 2. Driving location 3. Proper behavior 4. Joltless joe 5. Cheer 6. Ids associate 7. Berth place 8. Antidote 9. Deuce in poker 10. Today in Espanol 11. Right on! 17. Divulge a secret 19. Alien craft 21. Wise one 22. Old hat 23. Sweater tug 25. Newspaper writer 26. Japanese movie style 27. Milk dispenser 30. Like a goldfish, like a carp 31. Dead against 37. Polecats defense 39. Supporting 41. Marina sight 43. Japanese wrestlers 45. Three spot card 47. Cow or sow 48. Rowboat need 49. Free market economy country 50. Antlered animal 51. Brewed drink 53. French avenue 54. Hes a real doll

Back row- Left to right- Dr. William Valenti, Senior Vice President for Organizations Advancement and Staff Physician; Dr. Clint J. Koenig, AIDS Care; Brian ONeill, local artist and great friend of AIDS Care; Joseph Robach, Senator; Anne Nenneau, testimonial/former board chair and present vice-chair of AIDS Care. Front row- Left to right: Harry Bronson, Assemblyman; Bryant Sanders, Regional Assistant and representative from Senator Gillibrands office; Louise Slaughter, Congresswoman; Jay Rudman, president and chief executive officer, AIDS Care / Photo courtesy Trillium Health

8 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21| 2013

COVER STORY

By Lisa Dumas

Although the position of superintendent has traditionally been held by males, recently there has been an increase in the number of women, particularly women of color, taking on the role in upstate New York.

A Trailblazer in Syracuse

According to a 1990 New York Times article titled Education; Great Expectations Hobble Black Superintendents, part of the problem may be that, oftentimes, minority superintendents are hired to oversee schools in struggling urban districts with few resources and large gaps in student achievement. They increasingly find themselves under fire, the article states. Sought after most often by school districts in ruin, yet held to what they see as a higher standard than their white predecessors, they face double-edged criticism, from whites who raise questions about their authority and from blacks who are impatient for radical improvements.

right. Youre absolutely right, it was my seventh day. And, you know, people are highly critical and they dont understand that by the time we have gotten to the place where we take over the districts, there have been decades and decades of student academic failure and fiscal crisis. Its just really difficult to turn that around, and to turn the culture around. Thats more difficult to turn around than the academic failure. However, Contreras said, as long as school districts and school boards are willing to take a chance on women, its a sign that the culture of the superintendency is changing. In addition, she said its important to embrace these challenges in order to become and remain successful in the position. Ive worked with the community to develop a five-year strategic plan, she said. Its called Great Expectations. The plan focuses on five goals including teaching and learning; effective teachers and leaders; support structures for students; accountability and improved communication. Our budget is aligned to these five goals, and I strongly believe that if we stay the course, we will improve student outcomes for all children and decrease the student achievement gap. Consequently, SCSD has recently been awarded $31.5 million in state competitive grants to improve its struggling schools in an effort that has been spearheaded by Contreras. She said the key to her success so far has been staying consistent and not letting others pressure her into hasty decisions.

Syracuse, North Syracuse, Albany, Auburn, Brockport, and Buffalo are six areas in the upper part of New York State, Western New York and the Finger Lakes Region, where school districts are being run by female City School District superintendents from diverse Syracuse Superintendent Sharon Contreras is As a result, many have also seen ethnic backgrounds. the first woman of color to serve as their tenures grow troubled and end Some of the reasons for the increase may be the retirement of previous school district administrators, the election of new school board members, or simply that there are more candidates seeking the position. Whatever the case, these pioneers of their field say they are here to stay and hope to see the trend continue to grow. According to the American Association of School Administrators report,The American School Superintendent: 2010 Decennial Study, 24 percent of superintendents nationwide are women, compared to 13.2 percent in the year 2000. Upstate New York is part of that increase.
superintendent of a big five district in the history of the state. prematurely, said the article. After previously serving as chief academic officer of the Providence, R.I. school district, she was unanimously voted into the position by the Syracuse school board in July 2011. According to Contreras, the ascension of minority women to the position is important, not only to ensure that employers are making race and gender-based neutral decisions, but to set an example for the most important members of the district, its students. It is incredibly important that the superintendency is representative of the students that we serve, she said. Students need to see leaders who look just like them. It helps them to know that they, too, can achieve at high levels. But, while their numbers are growing, the number of minority superintendents in the position are slow-moving overall in comparison to their representation as minority groups in the general population.

Therefore, even though she has faced several inequities along the way, its the complex issues minority superintendents face that have posed the biggest challenge, Contreras said. Im not sure its about being a woman or being a man, but it certainly is complicated, she said. Because often when minority superintendents are invited to be superintendents of school districts, the school districts are in crisis. Theyre in fiscal crisis and academic crisis. The buildings are in disrepair. And, Im not talking about Syracuse, Im saying in urban school districts all over the country. And, you know, you come in and everybodys upset with you because theres an expectation that you have to fix this immediately. But the district is in the greatest crisis its ever been. And, its not just the entire community that wants it fixed; even the minority community is frustrated, and wants you to fix it immediately. I remember on my seventh day on the job here, I got a note that said, You havent done anything. And I just said, Youre

9 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21 | 2013

Turnaround in Buffalo
as assistant superintendent for the school district of Philadelphia, and worked in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. According to the Buffalo Public Schools web site, Brown has demonstrated the ability to turn schools around and achieve student success, regardless of economic challenges faced by students and their families, and her duties in Buffalo coincide well with previous programs and projects she has overseen during her career, including the development of innovative curricula, school construction projects, and the establishment of partnerships with universities, businesses and organizations. Following Contreras appointment, Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Pamela Brown became the second woman of color to preside over a big five district in the state, in July 2012. As superintendent of another struggling district, Brown currently leads a group of schools with students totaling 34,000. She has over 20 years of experience in public education. Previously, Brown served as senior research and planning associate for the Center for Educational Leadership and Technology in Marlborough, Mass. She also held a prior position Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard became the first African-American female named to the position of superintendent in the City School District of Albany in September 2012. Vanden Wyngaard said she realized her calling after earning a Ph.D. in education from Kent State University. I was seeking positions where I believed I could have a significant impact, she said. While I was promoted quickly within all organizations, in education, I determined that the superintendent position would give me the best opportunity to provide heroic leadership to meet and exceed the calling for my life. Previously, in her career she worked to combat racism in the area of education as well. In my former district, we worked with both Dr. Glenn Singleton from Pacific Education Alliance as well as Dr. Eric Cooper from the National Urban Alliance to tackle the impact of systemic racism in education; and to create a system of teaching that allowed our teachers to learn to teach within a culturally responsive and appropriate manner, she said. Getting a community to talk honestly and openly about race and racism was a daunting task, and ultimately led to the retirement of my immediate

COVER STORY

superintendent from the district. However, within that seven-year timeframe the district shrunk its achievement gap by 60 percent across the district and I am very proud of that work. According to Vanden Wyngaard, more African-American women named to top posts in school districts would only help students, and the districts, to succeed. I believe that an increase in diversity at the senior leadership position as articulated by gender, race, ethnicity, language, sexual identity can only benefit education, she stated. It benefits education from a student perspective, as members of the variety of underrepresented groups are able to see and be mentored by senior female leaders is important. Second, a female superintendent, who reflects a diverse society can by position and affiliation seek and strengthen bonds across those artificial boundaries to forge and build new and stronger partnerships; perhaps easier than one who is from the dominant population. Yet, while the track record for female African-American superintendents suggests that many have shorter tenures in these positions than others, Vanden Wyngaard said she is confident she will surpass those limitations.

A Calling in Albany

10 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21| 2013

COVER STORY

I am positive that my tenure will exceed expectations, she said. I have strong support from the community, strategic partners, as well as the school board; and, for that, I am grateful. Vanden Wyngaard said she is also currently focused on measures to ensure that CSDA students stay committed to education, as well as continually working to increase levels of achievement. I know what has to happen systemically for the district, and I am putting systems and people in positions to become leaders for change, she said. The response and decisions are not easy to make as we raise the bar of expectations while living with the constant threat of budget limitations. However, the process that I use is based on the development of processes for all people who influence the budget to ensure that they understand the decision-making process and roles and responsibilities. As this begins to be understood, the perception of threat becomes reduced as the public and partners fully understand the rationale behind the decisions. And, although she has only been superintendent for a short period of time, Vanden Wyngaard said her strategic plan for the district lasts until 2020: and its something she intends to see through. I hope to be here for an extended time, she said. My plans only include my current position as I have finally earned a position, where I can have a powerful impact for students lives, challenge and create new learning opportunities with our strategic partners. There is nowhere else I would rather be. In the meantime, she said the key to her success has been her ability to learn the system quickly, as well as find the best methods for improvement.

allowed me to continue to pursue and lead a purpose-driven life, she said. My role as a superintendent is an extension of my commitment to the protection of the sanctity of childhood as a continuing personal and professional imperative. I am inspired by the challenge to ensure the hope that access to a high-quality education can provide for every child in this country. According to Evelyn, her success thus far has been due to grit, selflessness, and humility, as well as, the ability to persevere in the face of difficulty, knowing that you are engaged in work that each day is paramount to ensuring this nation lives out its creed. Fundamentally, she said she is continually thankful for the students in her district and plans to continue her work for a long time to come. Each day, Im inspired by our children, she said. They invite and engage me to many important milestones in their lives; plays, dances, and graduations. They visit us at board meetings and in our offices with their families thanking us, asking us for guidance, and assistance. I look forward to the obligation of ensuring that children believe in themselves first; like a caterpillar changing into a butterfly or a great tree growing from a small seed, its some kind of miracle.

fortune can be stripped away from you, but once you obtain knowledge through education, it yours to keep. In addition, Myers said she has worked to create equitable access to highquality instruction for all students and to develop opportunities for the community to come together in support of its children. I have enjoyed working with students from various demographic backgrounds and clearly understand nuances relative to different cultures and socioeconomic levels, she stated. I am most proud of my ability to develop programs that promote academic achievement and unity within the larger school community. Given my background, educational preparation and experiences, I felt the time was right to take this step into education. Myers said she also holds fast to the notion that every student can learn, and is a leader who knows the capacity for motivating students and adults to do their best to prepare for the challenges we will face in a 21st century global marketplace. Additionally, Myers said she credits her success to an established faith and an incredibly supportive family. As for the future, according to Myers, We never know what the future may hold and where our path may lead us. I think that for all of us, students, educators, parents, and community members, the sky is the limit. I do know I am committed to be a guardian of equity for all children. No ifs, ands, or buts!

district. According to Dyce-Faucette, although she faced challenges in both districts, today, times are changing, nonetheless. When you think about leadership positions, men have dominated, she said. But, with communities changing, with school board members changing... when I became an administrator there was a wave of retirements. I think its a change of the times. And, as much as we are educators, I think we should be a community of learners who embrace change. However, when it comes to an urban district, the issues for students are substantially different than those in NSCSD, Dyce-Faucette said. What I believe to be the same is that children are children, she said. But the conversations are very different when we talk about educating our kids. In an urban district, we ask, What are we doing to ensure that our kids are receiving a quality education? In my district, thats a given. Parents expect that their children are receiving a quality education. This is a district of enrichment, and its about how do you continue to maintain that. So, the issues are enormously different. But, still, Dyce-Faucettes district has faced controversies of its own, including limited resources, she said. My district is a struggling district, said Dyce-Faucette. But I think its about how we focus our resources. Its about meeting the needs of our students. Its about asking What are the best practices out there that you can implement? In our district we have people who are impoverished, and if our budget goes down we are going to have to cut an additional $1.4 million. I think its about being strategic and finding a way to best meet the needs of your students. As a result, she said NSCSD is currently letting data drive the numbers around differentiated instruction in its schools relative to the areas in which the district finds it should focus. In addition, she said New Yorks newly adopted principal and teacher evaluation system, the Annual Professional Performance Review, will ultimately help teachers engage in better communication around this practice. In the end, Dyce-Faucette said she believes women will continue to choose the role of superintendent in the future. I think we are providing more opportunities for more educators, she said. And Im happy to be a part of the group for inspiring other aspiring administrators to take the plunge.

Possibilities in Brockport

Leading in North Syracuse

Inspired in Auburn
In Brockport, Superintendent Lesli Myers, the first woman of color to hold the superintendency in Monroe County, said, throughout her career, shes been inspired by her grandmother. My maternal grandmother, Mrs. Addie Terry Mills, a.k.a. Nana, was a woman of distinction, faith, and zeal, she said. She stood five-foot ten with piercing hazel eyes that didnt miss a beat. What I admired most about my Nana was her faith in God and her innate ability to tell a story like none other. She was widowed with 10 children before the age of 30. Being the first woman of color to hold the superintendency in Monroe County was a daunting task, but I remember her wise words of advice: One, always ensure that you maintain your faith and belief in God because with Him, all things are possible; and two, continually pursue education and get as much as you can. Money, fame and Kim Dyce-Faucette, superintendent of the North Syracuse Central School District as of Aug. 2011, said she knew she wanted to be a school administrator early in her career. I have to admit that when I first became a house administrator is when I fell in love with being an administrator, she said. It just really allowed me to learn so much, and I just loved the various facets of what the job entailed. Before joining NSCSD, a predominately white school district in the suburbs of Syracuse, Dyce-Faucette previously served as chief of staff for the Rochester City School District, a largely-minority

Auburn Enlarged City School District Superintendent Constance Evelyn said she has similar goals when it comes to making a difference in education. Appointed to the position in July 2012, she is the first female superintendent for the district and the first AfricanAmerican for the district as well. My entire career in education has

11 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21 | 2013

URMC
HEALTH REsEARcH

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Notice to Bidders: Economy Paving Co, Inc will be quoting the NYS DOT projects D262367, Bridge joint
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African-Americans
Every day, clinical trials and studies are helping to find better ways to treat and prevent disease. But theres one problem: AfricanAmericans dont participate in health research as much as others do. And that means we dont know enough about the best ways to keep you healthy. Theres something you can do to change that: Consider participating in a clinical trial or study to improve treatments for diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. To learn more, visit RocHealthResearch.urmc.edu or call (585) 758-7877.

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12 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21| 2013

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13 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21 | 2013

NATIONAL
Divided House Republicans grapple with immigration
By ERICA WERNER WASHINGTON -- House Republicans confronted the politically volatile issue of immigration yesterday, their ranks divided and their way forward unclear, even as national GOP leaders pressured them to act. The latest prominent Republican to wade into the debate was former President George W. Bush, who urged Congress to reach a positive resolution on overhauling U.S. immigration laws, a goal that eluded him during his presidency. His comments during brief remarks at a naturalization ceremony at his presidential library in Dallas suggested a need for Republicans to deal with immigration in a broad way. We can uphold our tradition of assimilating immigrants and honoring our heritage of our nation built on the rule of law. But we have a problem. The laws governing the immigration system arent working; the system is broken, Bush said. At the White House, President Barack Obama met with members of the allDemocratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as the fate of one of his top second-term priorities rested in the hands of the restive House GOP.

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14 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21| 2013

STRAIGHTno chaser

OPINION/EDITORIAL
for blacks had to be created and legislated into existence in the first place, and were not a given when the Constitution of the United States was supposed to guarantee certain unalienable rights for all. Orchids: To the quick capture of the perp who recently robbed a man of his cell phone at gunpoint in broad daylight on a city street. Orchids: And prayers to all the families affected by acts of senseless violence. It has been reported that Rochester is the murder capital of New York State. What a sad commentary on what we have become. Sad, but true, is the fact that there is no such thing as a simple argument or disagreement ending peacefully anymore. Onions: To any parent who does not monitor the movement of their wild teens, and who may be participating in the fights and disruptive behavior that seem to be the norm these days. We have a roving pack of teens that seem to think it is their job to endanger the welfare of others in public places. These heathens come from homes with bad examples that seemingly follow them into the street.

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

Orchids and Onions June 2013

Orchids: To all of the high school graduates from the Rochester City School District for persevering and overcoming the many obstacles not always found in other school GLORIA WINSTON AL-SARAG districts in the county. It is really shameful that your accomplishments dont get the same media play as the negativity that dwells within a system that finds a 46 percent graduation rate to be acceptable. Orchids: To the International Jazz Festival organizers. You sure know how to throw a party. I am personally requesting that you take a look at bringing Ryan Shaw back next year. Onions: To the Supreme Court ruling that invalidated an integral portion of the Voting Rights Act. The end result was triggered by a lawsuit filed by Shelby County, Ala. that, in essence, claimed the language in the bill to be outdated. Onions: To the fact that voting rights Onions: To the wisdom that allowed Edward Snowden, alleged thief of government documents, to fly out of Hong Kong and into Russia before revoking his passport. Something smells more than fishy with this case, and the way he is being handled. The conspiracy theorist in me says double agent possibilities abound. Orchids: To the young folks involving themselves in the political arena these days. Rochester has lots of intelligent, young folks who need to find their way to the front burners. All they need is encouragement and leadership to embrace them. Onions: To anyone who has elderly family members who live alone and are not monitored by caring members of the family. I often observe elderly people making their way unaccompanied to the bank to pay bills, to the grocery store to shop, etc. Many have problems walking, driving and are terribly unsteady on their feet. What happened to caring for our elders? Onions: To city administrators who have begun to give the appearance that they cant meet with city residents without police presence. This may not be the intent, but it certainly has begun to be a major topic readily discussed in the inner city. Where is Darryl Porter these days? Did he have his ghetto pass revoked? Orchids: To Steve Harvey and his entertaining daily TV show. If you havent watched it, you are missing out on a treat. I love his common sense approach to issues. I have heard he is a relative of Mount Olivet Baptist Churchs Pastor, Rev. Ricky Harvey. Not sure if he is a cousin or his brother, I have heard both. Orchids: To Danny Kuntz, recently elected to a three-year term as business manager at Rochester Laborers Local No. 435. Great to see he brought his own shoes to the dance, and is not attempting to stand in anyone elses. Orchids: And Congratulations to the embracing of new, young business agents at Rochester Laborers Local NO. 435. Congratulations to leadership being unafraid to embrace a 34 and 37-year-old. Onions: To how the removal of three business agents was callously handled. It is not the what but the how that can come back to bite folks in the butt. There are others who have told many untruths to make themselves look good that need to go also. Orchids: To Lovely Warren, Ernest Flagler, Donald Hardaway and others who are actually working for what they hope to achieve. They will prevail, mainly because they are not resting on their laurels or attempting to ride coattails to the finish line. They dont need slick mailers or TV ads to get votes; they are doing it the old-fashioned way. Onions: To the first piece of photoshopped campaign literature I received from Lovely Warrens opponent, alleging to support women. I laughed out loud when I saw the photo depicting a group of women, none of whom were from Rochester; and the black girls in it were seemingly added to the picture as an afterthought. Onions: To Ken Warner and his blog directed at legislation supported by Assemblyman David Gantt. You will see, Sept. 10, who needs what. Endorsements from unions mean nothing but some extra money, possibly. Votes from residents are what will count. The two-facedness the political arena generates among the so-called politicos makes me want to throw up. He and others, when they needed the Assemblyman, couldnt find enough toothpaste to brush the brown stains off their teeth. How quickly people forget where they come from. It always amazes me how the hand that has fed the masses can be bitten so easily. You know what they say; when you dig a hole for anyone, make sure you are digging two, because the other one is for you. Orchids: To Smugtown Beacon CoPublisher Aaron Wickes and his tribute to the next mayor of Rochester, Lovely Warren. The best man for the job will be a woman, I believe.

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15 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21 | 2013

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

OPINION/EDITORIAL
This week I have chosen to write on a topic that Im sure will make some people unhappy, but that is the nature of opinion. The topic is abortion. What is troubling is that even after 51 million abortions have been performed in this country since the legalization of the murdering of innocent life, people still want more. My concern is over Christians that can continue to close their eyes to this subject. We have to bring our heads out of the sand and take a stand on this topic. There is no way that anyone that has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and has accepted that the bible governs their world view can truly support abortion. As such, it is time for Christians to make their voices heard and stop supporting politicians that support abortion. As the legislative session in New York State drew to a close for this year, nine of the ten points of the governors plan were approved by the New York State Senate. The only provision that was not going to be approved was the provision that would extend abortion rights.

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

Why Not Take 90%

The question that reasonable people have to ask is: If our governor and his Senate and Assembly colleagues are so much in favor of promoting womens rights in New York State, why did they allow this one provision to stop the entire package? Without this provision, women in New York would not have lost their ability to get abortions, so why was it is such a big deal. Why lose nine provisions because the one that has to do with the killing of innocent children was not going to pass? My only explanation is because there are hidden agendas and motivations behind what the governor actually wants to do. Think about it, how can someone passionately support the killing of innocent life? Yet, that is exactly what is happening. We have to stand-up as Americans and speak against this issue of mass murder that has consumed our land and has cost us the lives of 51 million Americans. We cannot think that God is going to just allow these atrocities to continue without there being some sort of judgment. We should stop supporting any politician that will not stand against abortion regardless of what government hand-out they promise us! The killing of innocent life is not what this nation is about and it is time we stand-up for those that cannot standup for themselves. Support the event that is taking place at the end of July here in Rochester and let your voice be heard. The killing must stop and now is the time!

I had an opportunity to hear a very dynamic speaker a few weeks ago. He spoke with a level of passion on this subject and was able to bring to light information that I had not heard of before. He was here in Rochester in preparation for a great event that is planned for the end of July. The reason for my writing today is to speak about Governor Cuomos 10-point plan that has to do with Womens Rights. As part of the governors plan is a provision to extend abortion rights to be even more significant that they are today.

C. MICHAEL VAUGHN

Finding fresh food at a fair price shouldnt be so difficult. All summer long, Foodlink will be at various locations throughout the city of Rochester offering fresh produce at affordable prices. Cash, EBT, WIC, and Debit are accepted at all Farm Stands and Curbside Market locations. Spend $5 in SNAP benefits and receive an additional $2 towards your purchase. To find a list of all times and locations visit foodlinkny.org

Fresh, affordable food has arrived.

16 www.minorityreporter.net | july 15 - 21| 2013

Pre-K Every day! And its FREE!

Every minute your child spends learning is an important one. In the City School Districts Universal Pre-K program, kids have fun. They also become ready for school, develop creativity, build confidence, and gain skills for lifelong learning. With more than 50 programs at schools and community centers citywide, UPK provides the choice of a convenient location for you and your child.

Register today!
For more information, call 262-8140 or visit: www.rcsdk12.org/prek