Seems that we are on a school kick lately. We received the following regarding a kickoff meeting for a series of workshops on local schools:

The District 14 Community Education Council (CEC) and the Education Committee of Community Board #1 are planning to initiate a series of roundtable workshops to evaluate and support the needs and goals of each public elementary and middle school in District 14. This CEC meeting will set the tone for the discussions which will happen at each school, define their overall priorities and establish the procedures (which of course will be adjusted as we go along.) NYC Council Member David Yassky will participate in this planning workshop.

Please plan to attend and encourage members of your community to participate starting with this Thursday’s meeting. We need to hear your thoughts and opinions right from the start!

[…]
The first meeting is tomorrow evening:
Thursday November 15, 2007
6:30 PM
215 Heyward Street
Auditorium
This meeting is the first in a series of information and planning workshops hosted by the CEC and the Education Committee of Community Board #1. These workshops will address issues affecting individual schools as well as those affecting the entire District.

This meeting will outline the goals and priorities of the initial planning workshops. Please take a seat at the table and have your voice be heard!

For more information, please call CEC14 office @ (718) 302-7624 or
E-mail us at cec14@schools.nyc.gov

The roundtables are intended to tour the neighborhood, focusing on each of the schools one by one. Given the dismal performance of some of our local schools, and the overcrowded conditions of our better performing schools, attendance should be mandatory for all parents of school-age (or yet-to-be-school-age) children. The only way the system is going to improve is if motivated parents (from all parts of the community) get involved.

Otherwise, Williamsburg’s best schools will continue to be in the East Village.