First hour: Discussing the RCSD's Comprehensive School Reconfiguration Plan
Second hour: 100 years of the Eastman School of Music
The Rochester City School District is considering a reconfiguration plan that would close five school buildings and about a dozen schools next year. RCSD Superintendent Carmine Peluso presented the proposal to the school board Tuesday night, citing a decline in enrollment, building conditions, and school performance as factors in the decision. The board will vote on the plan next month. This hour, we discuss the proposal and what it would mean for the district, teachers, students, and families. Our guests:
- Carmine Peluso, superintendent of the Rochester City School District
- Cynthia Elliott, president of the Rochester City School Board
Then in our second hour, how does a music school grow and adapt to a changing world over a century? It’s a question we explore with our guests, who discuss 100 years of the Eastman School of Music. Its story began with philanthropist George Eastman’s vision for a school dedicated to musicianship. Today, it stands as one of the top music schools in the world. This hour, we discuss its history, what an inclusive campus community looks like, and we preview a new documentary, “Eastman at 100: A Centennial Celebration.” Our guests:
- Jamal Rossi, Joan and Martin Messinger Dean and professor of woodwinds at the Eastman School of Music, and director of the Howard Hanson Institute for American Music
- Vince Lenti, professor emeritus of piano at the Eastman School of Music, and Eastman School historian
- Jason Milton, senior content producer at WXXI, and producer of “Eastman at 100: A Centennial Celebration”
- Timothy Long, associate professor and artistic and music director of opera at the Eastman School of Music, and artistic director of the Eastman Opera Theatre
- Crystal Sellers Battle, DMA, associate dean of Equity and Inclusion at the Eastman School of Music
