Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Discipline And Student Supports topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Brothers for Change outlines behavior, attendance, grading and social‑emotional plan for Rockford schools
Summary
A student‑and-community led group called Brothers for Change presented a multi‑part 'BAGS' initiative — behavior, attendance, grades and social‑emotional supports — and asked the board to expand mentoring, wraparound and student voice practices districtwide.
Brothers for Change, a group of student and community mentors, presented the board with a four‑part plan aimed at improving student behavior, attendance, grading equity and social‑emotional supports in Rockford Public Schools District 205.
The group's spokesman, identified in the meeting as Mr. Ragland, said the group organized around “benchmarks of BAGS in behavior, attendance, grades, and social emotional,” and described how their members work inside schools to mentor students and support classroom culture. Kevin Bruce, representing the behavior benchmark, told the board, “I lead with the 3 c's, calm, confidence, and care.”
The presentation emphasized that behavior work should build relationships rather than rely on punishment; attendance work should focus on engagement as well as physical presence; grading should be reimagined as growth‑oriented and culturally responsive; and social‑emotional programs should teach conflict resolution and provide consistent wraparound supports.
Why it matters: board members and staff repeatedly framed the initiative as locally rooted mentoring and leadership development tied to classroom outcomes. Speakers said the program recruits men of color who know the communities and can act as regular, visible adults in schools — a contribution they argued is hard to replace with short‑term programs.
Details and plans: presenters proposed several concrete strategies, including student advisory councils on grading, growth‑based grading pilots, equity‑centered professional development for educators, community field trips, home visits and an emphasis on sustained mentorship outside class hours. Frank Gordon, who spoke on grades, said the goal is to “rebuild trust in the grading process that’s fair, motivating, and culturally relevant.” Dr. Wilson and Dr. Steele described circles and workshops meant to develop identity and leadership and to help students learn peaceful conflict resolution.
Board reaction and next steps: board members thanked presenters and highlighted the group’s local roots. Trustees and staff noted the need to integrate volunteer‑led efforts with district processes and to sustain any new programs through existing budgets and oversight structures. No formal action was taken during the meeting; the presentation was received for the record and staff indicated continued partnership and follow‑up would occur through stakeholder channels.
Supporting speakers (as identified at the meeting): Mr. Ragland (spokesman, Brothers for Change); Kevin Bruce (behavior lead, Brothers for Change); Virgil Hobson (attendance/engagement lead, Brothers for Change); Frank Gordon (grades initiative lead, Brothers for Change); Dr. Steele (social‑emotional lead, Brothers for Change); Dr. Wilson (assessment and academic supports).
