Rowe's family files lawsuit against school district, city

June 4, 2019 -- A year after filing a notice of claim, Trevyan Rowe's mother has filed a lawsuit against the Rochester City School District and the City of Rochester, including Mayor Lovely Warren.

Carrie Houston's 57-page lawsuit is in response to the death of the 14-year-old boy with autism who attended School No. 12. Rowe went missing on March 8, 2018 and was found dead three days later after a exhaustive search initiated after he did not return from school.

A subsequent state report into the district's handling of Rowe's disappearance found "systematic failures" that contributed to his death.

The lawsuit says the district and city "failed Trevyan and his family every step of the way" and goes on to accuse first responders of not properly handling Rowe's disappearance. Houston seeks an unnamed amount of money in the lawsuit.

Aquino departing from RCSD oversight role

May 31, 2019 -- State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia announced that Jaime Aquino is leaving, further clouding the future of the Rochester City School District.

The announcement of Aquino's departure from his appointed role as distinguished educator came with a vague statement from Elia that, "while Dr. Aquino’s contributions have been significant, we know our work is far from done in Rochester."

Elia appointed Aquino last summer to conduct an intensive review of RCSD, plagued by low-performing schools and an ineffective school board. He issued a report in November calling for a complete reset of the district. Aquino expressed further doubts about the district's future in his final report released in conjunction with the announcement of his departure.

Aquino said he has no set plans and is returning home to explore different options.

Fairport eyes eventual realignment

May 28, 2019 -- Fairport's school board has approved a plan that will eventually lead to the closure Minerva DeLand School, which serves as the district's ninth-grade academy.

The closing is projected in five to seven years as an enrollment makes it plausible to shift those students into the high school building after planned renovations.

RCSD introduces new superintendent

May 14, 2019 -- The Rochester City School District announced that Virginia educator Terry Dade will be its new superintendent.

Dade, 42, has been assistant superintendent in Virginia's Fairfax County Public Schools outside Washington, D.C., and has spent his entire professional career in that region. He led a turnaround effort for the Fairfax district's lowest-performing schools.

Like the other three finalists -- Devon Horton, Sito Narcisse and George Eric Thomas -- Dade has never served as a superintendent. He will replace interim Superintendent Dan Lowengard, who was appointed after Barbara Deane-Williams retired at the end of January.

UR will continue to operate East High

May 10, 2019 -- The Rochester school board has voted to extend its collaboration with the University of Rochester at East High School for another five years.

The original five-year contract expires at the end of the 2019-20 school year, and the board resolution approved the negotiation of a new deal via a 5-2 vote. The extension's provisions include adding a technical assistance center to facilitate the sharing of best practices and curriculum from East to the rest of the district.

Board member Cynthia Elliott opposed the extension, saying the partnership hasn't been sufficiently evaluated. She noted has significantly more support staff like social workers and counselors than other schools, and state figures show that East Upper School (grades 9-12) was budgeted to receive nearly $16,000 more per pupil than the median RCSD school.

East Superintendent Shaun Nelms said the state expenditure figures are erroneous but that the extension will be about 10 percent less expensive than the initial one.

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