RES News - Tutoring Team Education at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, during the Pandemic… With a “No Visitors” policy in place at all Rochester City Schools, the RES Tutoring Team will not be able to resume its good work at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy (RCSD School #10) (DWCA), in the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, there are important things happening at our school that RES Tutors, and our RES Members should want to know about. Dr. Walter Cooper Academy continues to be a “Receivership School” According to 2015 NYS Law, New York State Public Schools are placed in “receivership” as the result of deficient academic performance and/or failure to achieve and sustain adequate attendance and discipline levels. The requirements of the multi-year process for exiting receivership status include: • Development of an Intervention Plan for improving: o Academics – Increased instructional focus, toward improved student performance o Student Behavior - Response to, and support for, students’ social and emotional needs through improved restorative justice practices o Student Attendance - Maximizing student time spent in-class and in after-school study-support sessions o Student Proficiency - Instruction in mathematics and English language arts • Establishment of a Community Engagement Team (CET) to solicit input and develop recommendations for the Intervention Plan and to provide feedback from stakeholders in the larger school community. (NOTE: The RES is represented on our school’s CET.) • Demonstration of measured Performance Improvement, in at least two-thirds of the identified areas of deficiency. At a recent meeting of the DWCA Community Engagement Team, a proposal was adopted by the CET to establish an increased focus on mathematics teaching, for an identified group of African-American students in our school, instead of the pre-pandemic, unfeasible after-school study sessions. It is yet to be determined if/how/when the RES Tutoring Team might become part of this special effort to bring additional academic support to our Cooper Scholars. Dr. Walter Cooper Academy – Food Bank As previously mentioned, a “Food Bank” has been established at our school to help meet the needs of our students and their families. Donations of non-perishable food can be delivered to the 353 Congress Avenue building (Post Avenue entrance), or by mailing a grocery gift card, in $25 denominations (no $$$ please) to “DWCA Food Bank” Attn: Camaron Clyburn, 353 Congress Avenue, Rochester, NY 14619. Please call first @ (585) 324-2010. Dr. Walter Cooper Academy – Clothing Cupboard New (or gently-used) clothing, especially children’s winter garments, can also be delivered to the school (Mon – Fri, 9:00AM – 2:00PM). Please call first @ (585) 324-2010. Meanwhile, if you have questions, please reach out to RES Past-President, Lee Loomis (leeloomis46@gmail.com) or (585) 738-3079 (mobile & text). 8 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER DECEMBER 2020
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