The Rochester City School District’s new superintendent, Eric Rosser, held the first of three planned open meetings with community members on Monday.
Standing in front of an audience of about 40 people in the auditorium of Loretta Johnson Middle School on Genesee Street, he started with his personal story as a child who grew up in Cincinatti, Ohio.
“My life experiences, my lived experiences, are reflective of what our children today experience,” Rosser said. “I come from a family of intergenerational poverty. My grandparents unfortunately did not have the ability to graduate from high school. In fact, my grandfathers did not graduate from middle school.”
Rosser said part of his mission as an educational leader is influenced by his relationship with his late brother who had Down Syndrome.
“I fight the fight for him and making sure that students with exceptionalities have all that they need in order to, number one, realize their potential, and then be able to maximize their potential,” he said.
Rosser’s role as superintendent of Rochester city schools begins on July 1. He will oversee a district with declining enrollment, and a student population which is predominantly economically disadvantaged, according to state education department data.
The district has faced significant turbulence over the past six years, with superintendents changing, on average, every two years. Rosser said for as long as the community wants him here, he will stay.
“For me, this work is extremely serious work,” he said. “It is about being in a position of obligation, being in a position of service, being in a position to be able to influence the life trajectory of the children that I am blessed to be able to serve.”
Rosser said he has already moved to Rochester. County records show he purchased a home in the city earlier this month. He is leaving the Poughkeepsie City School District to lead RCSD. He previously worked in Atlanta, Buffalo, and D.C.
For about an hour-and-a-half on Monday evening, parents, staff, and community members stood up and addressed Rosser directly.
Lincoln, an elementary student at School 53, was the youngest person to speak.
“Have you ever seen the food? Because sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not so good,” he said “Also, I was wondering if you could let the kids that even though that they maybe not behaving, but they need it because they’re not behaving, because they might be hungry.”
His mom, Jamella James, stood with him and helped clarify his point to Rosser.
“He's saying that the kids who behave get extra snack, but there are kids who are not behaving. They can't get extra snack,” James said, “And he thinks those are the kids who really need it.”
Among the last to speak was Angelica Perez-Delgado, president of the dual-language community organization Ibero-American Action League.
She invited Rosser to join her for lunch in the El Camino neighborhood and take a walk along North Clinton Avenue to School 9.
“You've mentioned the community several times,” she said to Rosser, “But our community is chronically stressed. The corridor that I want to walk you through ... I'm gonna walk you all the way to (School) 9 so that you can imagine a seven-year-old walking up that neighborhood and getting themselves to school. ... And I think that'll give you a good perspective about why you have so many empty seats here today.”
Another audience member, Melissa Rodriguez-Meehan, emphasized a need to continue and expand supportive programming that may go overlooked.
“Dual-language opportunities that help maintain the heritage language while supporting cognitive development, expeditionary learning, public Montessori, nature-based learning,” said Rodriguez-Meehan, an early childhood professor at Brockport and parent. “We need to prioritize joy and meaningful learning experiences so that students want to come to school and engage.”
The biggest takeaway from the evening, Rosser said, was a sense of deep frustration from the Rochester community.
“Understanding that this frustration exists is saddening, but at the same time is also exhilarating, from the standpoint that people are ready for change, which means that people will mobilize themselves to be a part of the change that's necessary for our children.”
The next community conversation with incoming Superintendent Rosser is at 5:30 pm on May 27 at Dr. Freddie Thomas Middle School, 625 Scio Street.
