PPS Public Hearing -- speaking

Statement from Mark Rauterkus

I am Mark Rauterkus. 

We reside at 108 S. 12th Street on Pittsburgh’s Historic South Side. 

I am a former PPS Varsity Coach. I led the first city league team of any sport to a WPIAL Sectional title. I also had the privilege to coached the first PPS athlete to win a WPIAL event and set a WPIAL record.

I directed Swim & Water Polo Camp as part of PPS Summer Dreamers for 10+ years. At the peak of the program we coached more than 200 students with 35 employees at five different sites for 27-days, including running the Liberty Mile.

I'm an afterschool provider with other nonprofits. 

I'm on the Take a Father to School Day Committee too, did PPS Sports Reform Task Force and other community projects.

Presently I'm webmaster with the International Swim Coaches Association.

Vice President for the World Aquatic Federation of Schools and Universities. – WAFSU.org.

My sons are proud PPS graduates, and I’ll be happy to share proud dad updates on their whereabouts after my 3-minutes have expired.

In my view, the swimming pool is the best learning laboratory ever. It is a classroom where students get to learn thousands of lessons.

Swimming – so when a family vacation happens people can enjoy themselves and come home, not in a coffin.

Physics, biology, training, goal setting, accountability, safety, hospitality, – and above all, Teamwork.

Sports, swimming, water polo – is about playing well with others. Sadly, that’s not being developed at our pools in the city.

The Olympics are happening in a matter of days. We have two OLYMPIC Swimmers from PA. Good luck to Josh Methaney from Upper St. Clair – now a IU Hoosier.

At the Swim Trials, high school swimmers were striving to make the team from Mt. Pleasant and Bedford, PA.. An Oakland Catholic grad was racing in finals too.

Sadly, in the city, we’re not creating literate Olympians here.

The city isn’t hosting its swim meet, nor teaching lessons.

There used to be dozens of PPS teams in meets for Elem Schools and Middle Schools. It is sad as to how that experience has been allowed to evaporate.

I do all these things internationally, and when I put in an ESSER Grant Proposal in December of 2023, I don’t even get a score or a call back. Seven great letters of reference, and not a peep from PPS.

https://read.swimisca.org/esser-pittsburgh-public-schools/

Meanwhile, we are very happy to be utilizing the swim pool at PPS Oliver High School throughout the winter with the Renegades. I gathered folks (adults and HS kids) every Monday evening to play water polo. We had a fine year. Some players went to events in Ocala, Florida and Cleveland even.

This summer, we had 30 people playing water polo at Citiparks Ammon pool – Bedford Ave, Hill District – every Tuesday and Thursday, 6 to 7:30 pm. See the poster on my Facebook page.

Consultants are here! 

My invite is clear. 

I will be happy to meet with them to explain what SHOULD happen at PPS pools. With a little cooperation and latitude, the aquatics programs could be a bright start for the district and generate jobs, community engagement, scholarships, sponsorships and wellness. – PLUS – I dare say, over time, REVENUE.

Rather than having our district and city in decline – we’d be retaining kids and their families.

Call me: 412-298-3432

Mark@Rauterkus.com

WAFSU.org@Gmail.com

The swim pools are the low rungs on the ladder for civic engagement. The activities there should be for all ages too.

Ironic how many of the issues before the PPS Board today are matters that citizens battled against as they were hatched by Mark Roosevelt. Get rid of those 6 to 12 schools. We knew that they were a bad idea. 

But, it is the parents and community that knows best. Listen. Engage. Let's build that capacity at the PPS pools. 

PITTSBURGH BOARD OF EDUCATION

PUBLIC HEARING

JULY 22, 2024

6:00 P.M.

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

CONFERENCE ROOM A

1. Ja'Bree Wiginton - Organization

412 Justice

Estudiantes preocupados

2. Shirley Hill - Retired PPS Teacher

Unfair treatment of Montessori teacher. Lack of Black teachers at Carrick High School. Scheduling concerns at Carrick High School.

3. Karen Sloan - Parent

Montessori Administration Concerns

4. Shannon Striner - Parent

Town Halls are performative

5. Gina Grotelueschen - Parent

PPS Fulton Parents

6. Lauren Abt - Parent, Community member

Frustration multiplied

7. Jalayne Allison - Organization

412 Justice

Concerned Student

8. David Abt - Student

Course offering at Schiller

9. Meredith Knight - Parent, Community member

Extend the Timeline for the Facilities Utilization Pan for better process efficacy, community feedback and future-proof planning

10. Laura Mullen - Parent

Facilities Utilization Plan

11. Jacquelyn Schriver - Family member

Ripple Effect Counseling, LLC

Do not close Fulton. These students matter. Their educations matter just as much as any of Pittsburgh resident.

12. Katy Rank Lev - Parent

Lainey Davis

Plan to increase or maintain enrollment?

13. Martha Riecks - Parent

Concerns regarding school closure plans and strategies

14. Goldette Shields - Organization

Shields Of Joy

Grieving and health awareness in the schools

15. Jessica Merlin - Parent

Jessica Merlin

16. Jala Rucker - Parent

412 justice

Don’t close Manchester school

17. Angel Gober - Organization, Community member

149.99

Stop the FU Process

18. Lily Allman - Student

A Student's Perspective on the School Closure Process

19. Valerie Webb-Allman - Parent

Rushed process leads to terrible outcomes

20. Lauren Stuparitz - Teacher/Staff, Parent, Community member

412 justice. Education rights network.

Closed Minds Close Schools

21. Andrea (Andy) Kubis - Parent

Attracting Families to the District

22. Jude Abt - Student

Manchester

23. Alice Valenta - Parent

Disappointment

24. Walitta Abdullah - Community member

Not providing testimony

25. Laura Gallagher - Organization

Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network and 412Justice

Not failing schools, as some say, but schools that are being failed

26. Debra Hall - Community member

None

27. Emily Sawyer - Parent, Other substitute

And the band played on

28. Marcia Bandes - Community member

School Closures

29. Pam Harbin - Community member

Stop the facilities utilization - AKA school closure - plan. Accountability for authentic community input and access

30. Rachel Schlosser - Parent

Authentic Community Input

31. Holly Munson - Parent

Stop the school closure process and start listening to what students actually need

32. Lars Munson - Student

Don't close schools

33. Rita Porterfield - Parent

The Silence Is Deafening

34. Jude Porterfield - Student

I've Had Enough of It

35. David Munson - Parent

Stop the school closures

37. Ghadah Makoshi - Parent

Accessibility and Accountability

38. Naomi Chambers - Parent

Concerned Parent…

39. Laura Petty - Organization

Advancement Project

School Closures Harm Children and Families

40. Paul James Dell - Parent

Response to initial facility presentation and listening sessions methodology

41. Jazlynn Worthy - Parent

The Foundation for the Future

42. Annette Hall - Parent

Taking away online public hearing attendances is taking away accessibility for many

43. Mark Rauterkus - Parent, Organization, Community member, Other Afterschool partner & former scholastic coach

Renegades Water Polo, International Swim Coaches Assn, World Aquatic Federation of Schools & Universities

Swimming, our pools are the best learning labs - yet under utilized

Bridge Builders, NOT! Pittsburgh's politicians do not build bridges. They tear them down instead

https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-officials-advance-plan-to-tear-down-poorly-rated-bridge-despite-lawsuit/

Forming, WPIAL Swimming & Diving Alumni Group -- accepting founding members

The solution chatter

Sadly, PPS, by and large, fails to understand some of the basics of life.

What does PPS want? It says "safety" is the top priority. 

For many, to amp up the safety factors makes life feel more oppressed. Confinement, surveillance, oppression, ridged authority, supervision with gatekeepers and control is their rulebook guide.

“In order to get people to do what you want them to do, you have to understand what motivates them."

PPS doesn't always have a good grip on what motivates the youngsters.

You also have to know how to present yourself and your product to get their interest, their trust, and

ultimately their willingness to call you, visit you, or send you their talents, energy and enthusiasm. 

There are transactions to be made here. Money is a part of it with the citizens paying the taxes, of course. Others can choose to vote with their feet and depart the city. 

Human psychology has not changed in ten centuries.

As a coach, I don't wish for safety as a top goal. It seems to me that safety is an artifact of responsibility, learning, betterment, engagement, devotion and improving results. 

When we win, we are safe. When we win, we show up. PPS is losing the safety battle and losing in achievements in education and sports.

Letter to PPS from a teacher, posted on social media and sent to the board

Kristen Johnson posted

 · 

I am posting the letter I am sending to the board for tomorrow. I do not know if it will all be read because of time, but enough is enough! I ask each and everyone of you to write as well.

Pittsburgh Board of Education:

Good evening, my name is Kristen Johnson and I am a teacher at Brashear High School. I am writing to implore a sense of urgency in addressing our current situation within the district. This is a call to action for each of you and everyone who works at Central Office.

Five years ago I started working at Brashear high school as an English teacher. I have moved to the CTE department and now teach Personal Finance and Computer Fundamental elective courses. Working for PPS is a dream come true and Brashear is my “home” where I can show school pride, community pride, city pride, and PPS pride.

Nothing that has transpired over the past week, and frankly this school year, has elicited a sense of pride. We are all experiencing a myriad of emotions. I will keep this letter local and immediate to my experience, but I know many others share similar frustrations and anger.

When family and friends asked how I was doing at the end of last week I paused and said “I am disgusted”. I am disgusted that our district has experienced heinous acts of violence including the death of a 15 year old student. I am disgusted that many conversations end without closure or a plan for actual and effective change. I am astounded that my colleagues at Oliver do not feel secure in their building because of the number of exits without alarms. I am outraged that we continue “with business as usual” after the death of a student, staff injuries in breaking up a fight, and another young adult in the hospital as a result of a fight.

What is going on?

We, teachers, are fighting a battle much bigger than us individually. We are fighting a system that is not effective at educating or preparing students for a future. We are trying to instill a sense of self in students, develop self-confidence, empower students to achieve self-actualization and see themselves as an asset to our communities. We do this by building relationships with students and families so they can become the captains of their own destiny. We are doing this every day in every building, and we are emotionally exhausted because we are doing it alone.

Where are you?

I have not seen one of you, board members or otherwise, in our buildings unless is was a planned tour of a particular program. I ask again, where are you? You have to get in the trenches to understand our day-to-day struggle with high need students and their individual circumstances. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, he wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. He began by addressing his fellow clergymen who called his visit “untimely and unwise”. Now is your time to see and be seen. We, teachers, feel we are doing this alone. We feel the support given by administration has been stifled because they are not willing, or able, to provide the necessary discipline to address minor student behaviors that perpetuate a climate and culture of disrespect for people and learning. Now is your time to come be substitute in our buildings, all buildings, but especially high school buildings and see for yourselves the profanity and disregard for redirection from staff. 

Where are you? 

Please come see for yourself what is happening. Not just once, take a week or two and sub in our buildings.

One year ago Amanda Gorman recited original poetry at the Presidential Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. She was the youngest person to every do so. Her poem “The Hill We Climb” speaks to the challenges we have overcome in recent history, difficult challenges that tested our persistence and willingness to listen to each other. At the end she says “When day comes, we step out of the shade, Aflame and afraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light, If only we’re brave enough to see it, If only we’re brave enough to be it.” I am “Aflame and afraid.” I beseech you to be brave enough to be the light so that we, teachers, may see it and share it. We must be the light and see the light to heal this district and our most precious asset, our students.

Fwd: Special One Northside Message

--- Forwarded message ---------

From: ONE NORTHSIDE

A Special One Northside Message Dear Northside Residents, It is with a heavy heart that we send this message. As many of you know, a young man lost his life yesterday, January 19, outside of Oliver City-wide Academy during school dismissal. We are all saddened by the unnecessary loss of 15-year old Marquis Campbell. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and the staff at Oliver City-wide. In a show of unity around this tragedy, newly elected Mayor Ed Gainey and Pittsburgh Public Schools Interim Superintendent Wayne Walters held a joint press conference. This sincere response shows a level of leadership in our city and the public school system that brings hope. Hope, even in the darkest of times, is what keeps us moving forward. We remain hopeful that by working together as One Northside and with Mayor Gainey and Interim Superintendent Walters we can support the change needed to stop the violence, reduce crime and ensure safe and welcoming communities in all 18 neighborhoods of the Northside. We are strongest when we work together and support each other. Support & Be Supported In every community, there is a give and take. Sometimes you are the one offering support and other times you need to receive it. It's all part of our work together. Click to learn more.

ONE NORTHSIDE
Centre City Tower, Suite 2300 650 Smithfield Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tony Norman, of the P-G wrote, in part:

There is an alternative to this depressing cycle of carnage, but it requires a willingness to intervene early and often in the lives of troubled young men in the community. These boys and young men are easy to identify at school and in the neighborhood. What’s needed is radical empathy and creativity from the community.

A young man who can’t read at grade level is at risk, especially if his aspirations go no farther than securing his next meal. The boy who exhibits bullying behavior on the playground is crying out for both love and intervention. It would be better if the community responded instead of the police.

Children with no positive parental guidance are almost guaranteed to lash out “at the village” if that village is indifferent to their alienation. If they don’t develop meaningful social connections when they’re young, they will become oppressors within that community — and they will be merciless.

Transition Team: Eager to begin work

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2021/12/26/Members-of-Gainey-transition-committees-eager-to-begin-work/stories/202112260052

Members of Gainey transition committees eager to begin work

 

JULIAN ROUTH

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

jrouth@post-gazette.com

 

DEC 26, 2021

 

6:00 AM

At the turn of 2021, Ed Gainey launched his campaign for mayor of Pittsburgh on the idea of bringing people together — that city government could “change lives, uplift communities and fix what’s broken” — and as the year ends, he’ll rely on those people to help him do it.

Mr. Gainey, the mayor-elect who will take the oath of office in January to succeed outgoing Mayor Bill Peduto, will lean on the help of four transition committees, packed to the brim with members he picked to “reflect the rich diversity,” he said, of the city he hopes to unite.

In interviews with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and in public comments, members of those committees — guided by subject areas that were pillars of Mr. Gainey’s campaign platform — said they will be driven by a desire to make Pittsburgh more equitable for its residents, especially in low income communities and communities of color.

“There are lot of people in the city of Pittsburgh who have not been seen for a very long time,” said Tiffany Taulton, director of community initiatives for the Hazelwood Initiative and a member of the transition committee on infrastructure and environment. “I’m really excited about this opportunity for [Mr. Gainey] to show all of us that we all belong here — that our struggles are real and they’re going to be addressed.”

Leaders of the transition effort said the committees will meet biweekly and will issue a final report of recommendations in mid-April to the new mayor and the general public — built on “an extensive process to engage the public” and solicit feedback from experts, said transition co-chair Angel Gober.

Ms. Taulton, a member of the committee that — according to a written plan — will explore how to improve and maintain the city’s physical infrastructure “with a special focus on environmental justice,” said she wants to ensure that low-income communities and communities of color are considered when city government thinks about health, safety and sustainability.

Hazelwood is one of those communities that’s been “historically neglected,” said Ms. Taulton, who also teaches environmental justice at Duquesne University. It’ll take consciously investing in those communities that have seen long-term disinvestment, and thinking of how long-term plans can weave between numerous subject areas to build infrastructure that’s good for both the city and its residents, she added.

A self-proclaimed “lover of trees,” Ms. Taulton said one of her biggest priorities is to talk about how trees can protect air quality and help to manage storm water in low-income communities that don’t traditionally have much tree cover.

“You have very big disparities in communities of color that often times leave them more vulnerable to flooding, air quality issues and heat island effects,” Ms. Taulton said. “Studies have shown areas that don’t have tree cover can be up to 17 degrees higher than areas that do.”

A desire to right these disparities and foster a “city for all” was at the center of Mr. Gainey’s campaign, and in a welcome letter to the transition plan, he wrote that it’s “our opportunity to unite and plan for the future” of a city long called America’s most livable, but where Black residents — specifically Black women — face outsize challenges. The common thread that should unite the transition committees, the Lincoln-Lemington state lawmaker wrote, is an “equity and empowerment lens.”

Dr. Kathi Elliott, who serves as CEO of Gwen’s Girls and is a co-chair of the health and safety committee, said Mr. Gainey has been engaged on the issue of systemic inequities impacting Black girls and women in Pittsburgh — an issue that she’s worked to address in her professional life.

Dr. Elliott said she’s looking forward to working with the mayor-elect to “tackle the inequities that were highlighted in the Gender Equity Commission report,” a study that Mr. Gainey cited numerous times during his run to assert that Pittsburgh is turning its back on many of its own residents.

The 2019 report found that Black residents in Pittsburgh could move to almost any other U.S. city of comparable size and have a better quality of life — with Black women, for example, facing higher rates of maternal mortality and poverty and lower rates of college readiness and employment.

The health and safety committee, co-chaired by Dr. Elliott and Wasi Mohamed, who is senior policy officer at The Pittsburgh Foundation, will also work to “consider social determinants of health and approaches to eradicating health disparities.” It’s a goal reminiscent of Mr. Gainey’s repeated pledge to bring a comprehensive public health plan to address the root causes of violence, from drug and alcohol use and education to poverty and the lack of opportunities.

The lack of opportunity will be a main focus of the committee on education and workforce development, tasked with making recommendations on how to “achieve shared prosperity” for residents by matching their skills with the needs of the city’s growing economies.

Eager to work with a committee he said “touches all sides of the city” in its diversity and expertise, Darrin Kelly, president of the Allegheny Fayette Central Labor Council and co-chair of the committee, said that in respect of the committee’s work, he’d like to get together with members before talking about specific policy recommendations.

Mr. Kelly said he’ll approach the work by emphasizing the need to protect workers — specifically those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic — and to provide opportunities for people who may not have had them.

The committees will begin their biweekly meetings and public town halls in January, officials said.

Julian Routh: jrouth@post-gazette.com; Twitter: @julianrouth

First Published December 26, 2021, 6:00am

Fire in a local, historical building on East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's South Side

Wow.

Fire on the South Side

Steelers play the Ravens on a Wednesday at 3:40 pm

Fwd: The First Friday | American Chestnut Trees • New Blooms • A Note from Your Gardener

Face plant. And I am not talking about summer bulb planting. 

Talk about a total lack of nuts, except chestnuts. 

These people take $20M of city taxpayers money each year. 

Hello!

PS: My gardener do not write this crap. What about "your gardener?"

Mark R

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy <awenk@pittsburghparks.org>
Date: Fri, Jun 5, 2020 at 7:19 AM
Subject: The First Friday | American Chestnut Trees • New Blooms • A Note from Your Gardener

THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT TREE The American chestnut was once considered the largest, tallest and fastest-growing trees. The wood was rot-resistant, straight-grained, and suitable for furniture, fencing, and building. The nuts fed billions of wildlife, people, and their livestock. It was almost a perfect tree. That is, until a blight fungus killed it nearly a century ago. The chestnut blight has been called the greatest ecological disaster to strike the world's forests in all of history. Pittsburgh serves as the home to 30 American chestnuts, residing in Frick and Highland Park. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy continues planting this rare species for research and experimentation.  "I am replicating breeding work that the American Chestnut Foundation is embracing by taking advanced genetic hybrids and planting them out with surviving chestnuts trees and letting open pollination occur," Phil Gruszka, Parks Conservancy director of horticulture and forestry said. "I will never see the benefits of this, but my grandchildren might."  Parks Conservancy advocate and supporter, Kitty Brunkhorst, took a particular interest in this project.  "I learned that Phil was working with (Parks Maintenance Manager) Dick Wilford to plant American chestnut tree seeds about two years ago. It was somewhat funny to me to think of these two men finding a secret place to plant and tend these seeds, planning to see what did and didn't work," Kitty said.  "I've been concerned about trees in Frick Park for a long time, as I live nearby and spend many hours in the park. The fact that they were attempting to revive a native species seemed worthwhile," Kitty explained. To learn more about the American Chestnut and how genetic engineering can potentially revive these trees, click here. If you'd like to explore the work that the American Chestnut Foundation is doing to restore this species, click here.  "So you do a lot of planting?"  This is a question I receive often when people realize I'm a professional park gardener. Fun fact – we spend most of our time pulling weeds!  Yes, we plant trees, bulbs, and annual flowers, but this is a small fraction of what we spend our time doing within Pittsburgh's parks. The types of vegetation we plant in the parks have very specific windows in which they can be planted.  Planting trees takes approximately five days in the spring and five days in the fall. We also spend approximately two days in the fall planting bulbs and spend four-to-six days in May planting annuals. However, we spend days - actually, weeks - pullings weeds! The flower beds in the parks are planted with perennial plants that bloom year after year, so they don't require planting, but they do require regular weeding. We even pull weeds during the winter months. In the park woodlands, pulling vines from trees and removing woody invasive shrubs is a form of weeding and this is how we spend our winter months in the parks. We don't use herbicides to control weeds, so it's up to our team of park gardeners and volunteers to remove them.  Your Gardener, Angela Yuele  A compilation of the Parks Conservancy's Horticulture and Forestry team's (also known as the 'Sassies') favorite plants.  Let's talk about summer flowering bulbs! Plant these underground structures in the spring and enjoy colorful blooms through the summer! Learn about some of our favorite plants below. Jaci Bruschi, Gardener | CANNA  This cultivar is a 'South Pacific Scarlet.' It's a great cultivar of Canna from the South Pacific series; it will grow to about four-to-five feet it can be planted in a container and in a garden bed. Though it is not hardy to our zone, you can dig the bulbs up at the end of the season and save for next year's planting.   Angela Yuele, Horticulturist | GLADIOLUS  Gladiolus are an old-time favorite. I fondly remember my grandpa being very proud of his Gladiolus!  These are a tender summer bulb, which means they need to be dug up, or purchased, every year and replanted. The bloom time is brief on theses beauties. To prolong the bloom time you can stagger plantings in two-week intervals. This is a popular plant for flower arrangements as well!  Robin Eng, Restoration Gardener | GRAPE-LEAF ANEMONE Grape-leaf or Japanese anemone produce great mounding heaps of lush dark green foliage year-round. Then as the major blooms of summer appear to be dying back, they put out great cloud-like plumes of blossoms, raised above to foliage on graceful flower stalks. Although not native to the United States, these great perennials are well worth a spot in any sunny garden. Colors vary from white to shades of pink, and blooms can last for weeks on mature plants. If you're looking for a perennial addition to prolong the flowering season of your garden, this one comes highly recommended!  Maggie Herrick, Restoration Gardener | MONTEBRETIA  A member of the iris family, Montebretia (Crocosmia spp.) is a late summer bloomer that will give your garden interest into the fall. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and birds will be especially happy with the flowers and the seedpods that follow and provide a food source. The strappy, sword-like foliage demonstrates the relation to irises and provide a texture contrast to other plants. These flowering corms come in a range of heights up to five feet and a variety of striking colors. They are salt and drought tolerant, prefer full sun, but can tolerate some shade and make great cut flowers. Mulch these plants heavily or bring them inside during the winter to help them survive.  P.S. Remember, parks and greenspaces have never been more vital. The time you spend outdoors during rejuvenates your body and mind. Honor that time and the essential role nature plays in your daily life by choosing to make a donation today to support the parks you know and love.  Every little bit counts. You received this email because you are subscribed to General Parks News from Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. { 45 South 23rd Street Pittsburgh, PA 15203 © 2020 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. All rights reserved.