When School Works… It's a Beautiful Thing

Reported by: Sean Carroll
Email: scarroll@13wham.com
Last Update: 1/09 7:18 pm

My report tonight on the East-Freedom Connection School on N. Goodman Street was one of my favorite experiences of this young year. Northeast Area Development, East High School, and the Freedom School combined their efforts and resources to drastically change 30 young lives in a matter of weeks and months.

The 30 students were all set to attend 7th grade at East High this past fall – not ONE of them possessed a G.P.A. above 0.0 the year before. Think about that for a minute. We’re talking about disruptive students, students that spend more time in suspension than they do in class… and even more time away from school entirely.

But this school? It’s something different. The kids want to show up. And so do the parents. Seeing one, two, three, or many more moms, dads, aunts, or uncles in the back of a classroom isn’t usual – it’s expected!

The cumulative G.P.A. of these 30 students is now 2.7 in just two marking periods. These are students who in some cases have parents serving life-sentences in state prison, or working on the streets in illegal ways. But there are also adults in their young lives that care enough to show up at this school and help the kids learn and achieve.

It goes back to a saying I’ve heard often when adults talk about this school - "we don't have a children problem, we have an adult problem."

Adults can fix those problems too. Not one person, the Superintendent included, will tell you Rochester City Schools don’t need fixing – to a person they’ll tell you massive overhauling-reform is in order. It starts in Central Office, extends to the classrooms, and almost certainly extends to homes and neighborhoods. But when something new and different works? That’s a beginning… and it’s a beautiful thing.

To my new friends at East-Freedom Connection School --- I look forward to seeing your smiles again. Keep up the good work, and take a moment to pat yourself on the back every once in awhile.

You deserve it.