BVHP EDUCATION SUMMITT MEETING
Wednesday, September 1, 2010, 10:00am - 12:00pm PST
Literacy for Environmental Justice

ECOCenter

Jennings at Cargo Way, Pier 98

San Francisco, CA94124

# / Name / Organization / E-Mail Address
1 / Diane Gray / 100% College Prep Institute /
2 / Jackie Cohen / 100% College Prep Institute /
3 / Clint Sockwell / Community Intentions /
4 / Ebony Sparks / BAYCAT /
5 / Sai Seigel / Bayview Hunters Point Community Fund /
6 / Jacob Moody / Bayview Hunters Point Foundation /
7 / Dr. Hollis Pierce / Bayview Learns
8 / Stevon Cook / San Francisco Education Fund /
9 / Aharon Morris / San Francisco Education Fund /
10 / Rebecca Gallegos / Bayview Opera House /
11 / Barbara Ockel / Bayview Opera House /
12 / Vanessa Banko / Willie Mays Boys and Girls Club /
13 / Officer Lisa Curry / Bayview Station /
14 / Sergeant Eva Garrick / Bayview Station /
15 / Narda Harrigan / Bret Harte Elementary /
16 / Eason Ramson / CARECenter /
17 / Pecolia Manigo / Coleman Advocates /
18 / Saad Muhammad / Coleman Advocates /
19 / Steve Moss / District 10 Candidate /
20 / Jennifer Curran / JumpStart /
21 / Sabrina Aranda-Smith / JumpStart /
22 / Jasmine Benton / BVHP YMCA /
23 / Roberto Gonzalez / San Francisco Food Bank /
24 / Michael Bennett / BVHP YMCA /
25 / Greg Doxey / Osiris Coalition and Southeast Community Development Corp. /
26 / Ethan Patchell / San Francisco Food Bank /
27 / Neil Hatten / BVHP YMCA /
28 / Lamonte Bishop / Senator Mark Leno’s Office /
29 / Sarah P. Alexander / Literacy for Environmental Justice /
30 / Tracy Zhu / Literacy for Environmental Justice /
31 / Malik Looper / Literacy for Environmental Justice /
32 / Margaret Brodkin / New Day for Learning /
33 / Jamie Harris / New Day for Learning /
34 / James Doxey / South East Community Development Corporation /
35 / Edward Hatter / Potrero Hill Neighborhood House /
36 / Sharon Johnson / Potrero Hill Neighborhood House /
37 / Kirk Davis / Rapha House /
38 / Patricia Gray / SFUSD /
39 / Jaren Bonillo / The Imagine Bus Project /
40 / Wylie Liu / UCSF /
41 / Don Woodson / UCSF /
42 / Michael Lowe / Willie Mays Boys and Girls Club /
43 / Jake Babick / Willie Mays Boys and Girls Club /
44 / Traci Peace / Visions of La Moda Fashion Studio for Youth /
45 / Emily Wade-Thompson / SFUSD /
46 / Careem Conley / San Francisco Housing Development Corporation /
47 / Tinisch Hollisn / Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services /
48 / Omar Khalif / Community Member /
49 / Yvette Robles / BMAGIC Director /
50 / Marquez Gray / Community Convener /
51 / Julia Weisner / BMAGIC Research and Program Coordinator /

MEETING SUMMARYAND AGENDA

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Introductions:

On September 1, 2010 BMAGIC hosted a half day retreat to look at new trends with the San FranciscoUnifiedSchool District and how Bayview Hunters Point would be affected. This retreat more specifically was scheduled to include service providers in a discussion about how service organizations can engage with the School District to build on a deeper relationship to support their client base. This retreat topic was chosen in response to the many suggestions of collaborative partners who showed concern about the state of the school system and the recent school closures in the community. BMAGIC invited Assistant Superintendent, Patricia Gray, and New Day for Learning Director, Margaret Brodkin to discuss their new plans for Bayview Hunters Point, and answer any relevant questions.

As a brief introduction to save time for the presentations, each attendee mentioned their name and organization to the group. A diverse group came out to this retreat representing community-based organizations, city departments, medical centers, Bayview Hunters Point schools, and political candidates. Yvette Robles, BMAGIC Director chaired the meeting and announced that Patricia Gray would be presenting first, followed by Margaret Brodkin and Jamie Harris from New Day for Learning, She also noted that there would be ample time for questions.

Presentations:

Patricia Gray, Assistant Superintendent

Assistant Superintendent Gray took the floor and told the group a story detailing her background as an educator, her values dictating how she treats her students, and what characteristics she deems important in a successful school. She explained that she would be responsible for the academic improvement of nine elementary schools in the “Bayview Zone”, a project that is receiving $45 million federal dollars. Among these schools are Willie Brown, Charles Drew, James Carville, Malcolm X, Thurgood Marshall, Paul Revere and Bret Harte. Gray noted that she expects to see great changes made, and that she is thrilled that unsafe schools in the community will be re-built. She is optimistic that the 56% of children living in Bayview who are bused out on the area for school, will no longer do so. She noted that the new schools in Bayview that will be built, which will attract kids from outside the community, are reserved for the Bayview Hunters Point population. She reiterated that the San FranciscoUnifiedSchool District does not have money set aside for community-based organizations or service organizations to get involved in this process

The group asked questions regarding the student reassignment system, the data analysis tactics of MalcolmXElementary School and whether these would be implemented, and the role of the teachers’ unions. The repeated concern from many of the service providers in attendance centered around how parents are able to access this important information.

Margaret Brodkin and Jamie Harris, New Day for Learning

Margaret Brodkin started her presentation by introducing herself, explaining her professional background and former position as the head of the Department of Children Youth and Families. She thanked Patricia Gray for all of her hard work, and explained that the level of focus that the School District is giving to these schools, the resources, the transparency, along with the attention from an experienced leader such as Ms. Gray represent the dramatic new direction for the District.

Brodkin explained that New Day for Learning (NDL) is a plan for schools to create deep, focused partnerships between schools and community-based organizations. This vision was enhanced by a trip to New York in which NDL Staff witnessed how the city’s schools are like community centers; open until 8 pmwith many health, psychological and financial resources for families that make them a comfortable and productive place. She detailed that each school in the program would have a new position funded, which would be a coordinator to bring in and facilitate local services. There will also be attention paid ton summer instruction for children without extensive summer camps and enrichment to not fall behind their peers, and on how to increase parent participation. During the planning phase, which will be a five year effort, there will be two subcommittees: one on defining partnership and the other on how community-based organizations and the schools can effectively coordinate their resources. After this presentation ended, questions were asked such as how community-based organizations can coordinate to support this work and how this effort differs from past initiatives of its kind such as the Dream Schools.

Both presenters asked for on-going feedback from this experienced group, along with support from the BMAGIC Collaborative network to make these changes more effective. BMAGIC hopes that this will be one of many meetings in which service providers, representatives of the School District, and New Day for Learning can work together to build on stronger relationships to support the children and youth of Bayview Hunters Point.

Yvette thanked the presenters for taking the time to come and engage in this conversation, and then dismissed the group to enjoy a catered lunch and have discussions amongst themselves on this topic.

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