Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Andrew Langston Middle School topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Community and staff urge board to keep Andrew Langston Middle School intact
Summary
Dozens of students, parents and teachers told the Rochester Board of Education on April 29 that Andrew Langston Middle School should not be split or lose most of its staff, describing a year-old program of new programs, community ties and student supports that speakers said would be undermined by proposed moves.
Dozens of students, parents and teachers packed the Rochester Board of Education meeting on April 29 to oppose a proposed reorganization that would move Andrew Langston Middle School and, speakers said, leave much of the staff behind.
Speakers emphasized continuity and relationship-building at the less-than-one-year-old school and asked the board to move the program intact. ‘‘Please let us stay together. Don’t split us up,’’ said Raven Lucas, a seventh-grader at Andrew Langston Middle School, during the public-comment period.
Speakers said the school has rapidly established programs and supports they view as essential to students’ progress. ‘‘Cutting over half of our staff isn’t just a logistical decision, it’s a moral one,’’ said Adam McIntyre Ross, an art teacher who said he moved to Langston to help build its arts program. McIntyre described student-led projects, a comic-book publishing clinic, mock trials, a podcasting program and Saturday school offerings, and warned that removing most staff would ‘‘risk unraveling the relationships, trust and programs’’ the community has built.
The case for keeping the school intact was echoed by multiple teachers and parents. Anita Jones, a special-education teacher at Andrew Langston, described a ‘‘trauma-informed, student-centered culture’’ and credited consistent staff and Saturday programming with measurable gains in students’ writing and reading. Teacher Kim Richards said the majority of the school’s seventh graders want to return next year, and called the school’s progress ‘‘consistency that matters.’’
Parents and community advocates framed the school as more than classrooms. Earl McCray, an educator and U.S. Armed Forces member, noted the school’s nascent law academy, a food pantry serving ‘‘over 30 families,’’ an emerging student-run radio project and monthly Tiger Trade Awards that celebrate student growth. Multiple speakers said community partnerships — including early ties with local radio station WDKX — had produced tangible supports such as backpacks, literacy distributions and free meals.
Speakers repeatedly warned of specific harms they expect from a proposed plan they said would remove large portions of the staff. ‘‘Do not eliminate 60 to 70% of the staff,’’ said Clay Harris, urging the board to find a location that can keep the school and its teachers together. Several other speakers used the same 60–70% figure when describing the proposed cuts; that number was presented by speakers, not by district staff.
Board President Camille Simmons acknowledged the testimony and said the board had heard the community. Simmons did not announce a decision on the school’s future at the meeting. Interim Superintendent Terrence Strickland (referred to in public remarks) and Chief Moscadri were mentioned by board members as tasked with developing next steps; in public comments the superintendent said administration would work on alternatives and present options for maintaining student opportunities.
The meeting’s speakers portion featured about 36 registered speakers and ran into a later hour; many of Andrew Langston’s students, parents and teachers stayed through multiple public comments to press their case. The board did not take a formal vote to close or to move the school during the April 29 session.
Why it matters: Testimony described a school that, speakers said, has achieved community trust and early programmatic gains in under a year. Board members and district staff will decide whether to implement a plan that speakers warn would disrupt that progress. Parents and staff pressed the board to prioritize continuity and to avoid separating students from teachers and programs.
Next steps: The board did not vote on Andrew Langston’s reorganization at the April 29 meeting. President Simmons and interim administration indicated they will continue work with district leadership to develop options; the board said it would revisit related agenda items at a future session. The community requested that any move preserve the school’s staff and programs and provide clear transition plans if relocation proves necessary.
