A Year Later, More Retribution

Posted by jcpswatch on July 2, 2022
Posted in: Pattern or Practice, Racial Equity, Student Assignment.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Below is an email I sent, as well as a disappointing response I received, following a meeting we had with Dr. Pollio and Amy Dennes regarding offering parking and a shuttle for families attending Showcase of Schools in 2017.

From: Gay Adelmann
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2017 9:33 AM
To: marty.pollio@jefferson.kyschools.org; Dennes, Amy P <amy.dennes@jefferson.kyschools.us>
Subject: Fwd: We Must Take Bold Steps for The Academy @ Shawnee

Hi Marty and Amy,

Thank you both for your time on Friday.

While searching for your email addresses this morning, I fortuitously came across this plea I sent over a year ago (one of many), regarding some of the same concerns that remain in existence today. I wanted to forward it along to accentuate the challenges that we have faced when attempting to get JCPS to address the chronic disparities that exist in our system. I hope you are as excited as I am about the prospect that under new leadership we finally have an opportunity to make some strides in this area!

I look forward to further pursuing the longer-term strategies we discussed regarding deconstructing the inequitable student assignment plan that exists today. In the mean time, I hope that you can provide us with:

  • Addresses – (in Excel, with student names redacted) of ideal targets for Showcase of Schools in our most affected communities. We will sign any confidentiality agreements you require.
  • Showcase Parking Assistance – If you are able to acquire some parking passes for the Fairgrounds, we will need to determine a distribution method, but if not, then perhaps we could explore the possibility of inviting people to park in the CB Young parking lot. Attached is a mock flyer I created, just as an example of what we could hand out if this second option were to work out.
  • Literature – Flyers or choice brochures or something to hand to families as we discuss the exciting opportunities that exist within JCPS
  • Booth Space – A table at Showcase of Schools on the 28th
  • Manpower – Any JCPS staff or volunteers to assist with these efforts would be welcome
  • Support – a point of contact to escalate our group’s questions, concerns, in order to keep this project moving in a timely and responsive fashion

Please let me know the status of the above at your earliest convenience so we can start preparing our messaging and activities over the next two weeks. We look forward to working together to begin to level the playing field for our most vulnerable students and families within JCPS.

Thanks, Gay

Their response was to take our idea and offer it to others to implement:

Email Sent: Oct 16, 2017, 2:50 PM

From: Dennes, Amy P <amy.dennes@jefferson.kyschools.us>

To: me, marty.pollio@jefferson.kyschools.org, et al

Gay, After further discussion, we decided that we have to post an RFP for services because we recognize that there are lots of organizations that could help us in this work.  We appreciate your forward thinking  and hope that you will submit a proposal.