CPPAC meets tonight at 7! Liveblog

CPPAC--the Citywide Parent Planning and Advisory Group--meets tonight at the library.
Notes going up as they come through.Superintendent Boone speaking tonight.

Boone: how we make the Worcester Public Schools the preferred option for parents
expand and deepen our work for key relevance.
"very successful school opening"
Come to School Committee on September 18 or watch from home for the Opening of School Report
new principals introduced at our last meeting
"retirements are because we have a veteran corps of principals in this city, not because they are being chased away"
third largest school district in the Commonwealth "very close to the enrollment of Springfield"
4000 employees serving 25000 students
$350 million annual budget
will have a chance to talk budget during the year
"if you like learning about those things, it's real exciting"
"monitoring our enrollments at this point"
City Manager Augustus: how to get above Net School Spending
even with that had to reduce 44 teaching positions, as well as clerical, support, admin
"set the stage with the atmosphere for no longer the schools fighting against each other, but figuring out how we work together to build capacity for what should happen"
"schools a critical facility for liveablity" in the city
"we finally dealt with publically what the state's formula dealt with on education"
"monitoring very, very closely our class sizes, K-12"
goal is to keep overall student to teacher ratio of 22 to 1
tipped up to 22.4 this year with the budget changes
looking closely at where we can make those adjustments; how do we do some balancing
have completed the School Interoperability Framework (SIF) for constant exchanging of information
will know sooner rather than later what our enrollment is
Enrollment is key for our funding level
"would encourage CPPAC to stay fully engaged and aware of" the Chapter 70 funding formula review
sends a significant message that CPPAC meets at the public library; importance of literacy
network and connect with other communities around the country with a very strong literacy focus
early 2015 to open Burncoat Prep branch
mobile back on the road: Libby and Lilly
World Smile Day on October 3 this year: "Worcester: The City that Reads and SMILES"
need to read not only to our child every day, but every adult reading as well: adults model reading
activities around the city on October 3 on literacy
Regarding interview of CM candidates: neither superintendent nor school committee participating, but Mayor serves as chair of both committees; falls under his purview
Regarding what parents can do: invest in local school; speak up on legislative matters around education; become and be advocates for public education
"we need some extra voices"
Regarding spending level on schools: "You don't wait until the budget is presented to City Council. The time to discuss the budget is now."
recommend presenting such information to both City Council and School Committee
WPS Seven Point Financial Plan adopted last year
central office for 25000 students is about the same size as a district of 10,000; "we are not top heavy"
"very good stewards of the money...pouring as much of our money as possible into the classroom"
what is done with free cash is in the City's Five Point Financial Plan; should include schools in plan
potential revenue sharing with schools: last city, city certified $9 million in free cash; not a cent went to the schools. Could have addressed minimum school spending then.
What happens to free cash?
What happens to capital improvements?
city is working to match funding for state funding on school replacement and repair
suggestion for a myth/fact sheet. City Council should get a report weekly on successes.
Regarding PR: doing small scale and our own publicizing. Identifying (private) funding for top 50 colleges that our students were accepted to; historical points; TV production specialist; helping us develop voice
"porfolio of school options" being more public
"appreciate your entrusting your children to us"