I apologize for the announcement of this meeting arriving to late. PURE Reform attended the meeting and the summary is below.  PURE Reform is dedicated to a free flow of information regarding the PPS so that all stakeholders can be informed and we encourage you to visit our website and blog at www.purereform.com.

January 7, 2009

Bloomfield Garfield Corporation meeting

About 30 people attended. The meeting started with introductions of PPS staff at the meeting:

Nancy Kodman, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives, is the staff person assigned to work with BGC.

Sam Franklin, Project Director of the Sci-Tech High School

Susan Chersky-Communications and Marketing

School Board members were invited but did not attend.

Rick Flanagan, Youth Development Director for BGC, opened with “Why we are here”:

1. meeting was called in reaction to announcement of recommendation of the IB Site Selection Committee’s to place the IB magnate program at Peabody.  BCG has requested information, including list of participants from this selection committee and Lisa Fischetti has committed to providing this information.
2. Concern about various community groups working in isolation  (Westinghouse/Homewood community, IB community, BG etc.).  PURE Reform informed group that we are trying to provide a forum for various community groups and stakeholders to gain information about each other’s activities, plans etc. through our website and blog. 
3. Need to address loss of students in Peabody feeder pattern and to raise student achievement
4. Need to decrease per pupil cost
5. Concerns about lack of ongoing Peabody planning process
6. Concern about lack of a regional planning process

At this point, the group was encouraged to bring up concerns/ideas that they could present to the superintendent.  Some of the comments/concerns included:

1. What assurances do we have that the board/superintendent will seriously consider input from the community?
2. It has been reported that this year’s freshmen class will be the last to attend Peabody.  Concerns raised by parents of current students and others with younger children in the feeder pattern about where their children will go to high school. Nancy Kodman stated that it was only a recommendation and that no decisions regarding Peabody has been made yet.
3. Why are the IB parents able to select where their program will be located but no input from Peabody stakeholders was solicited?
4. Peabody student asked that security be addressed (at Peabody?)
5. PURE Reform asked that the lack of a full service, comprehensive high school in the east end be addressed.

Names were taken to participate in the Peabody Stakeholder Working Group and PURE Reform has signed on to participate.  Next meeting time place TBA.