In November of 2007 PEP held a community forum with various stakeholders representing all levels, perspectives and disciplines within Plainfield. Our esteemed panelists – in alphabetical order were – Anna Belin-Pyles (PSS-SSFS), Bishop G. Benbow of Christian Fellowship Gospel Church, Rashid Burney, Councilman 3rd Ward, Christopher Estevez, BOE, Alisa France, PHS Junior, Jerry Green, NJ Assemblyman, Kathy Lee, Plainfield Parent, Adrian Mapp, Councilman, D. Moye, PSS Security, and Vickey Sheppard, BOE.
In addition to this panel there was a community represented panel who moderated the 30+ questions collected from New Horizons College Club student members, parents and the community. The forum panel was probably one of the most diverse panels to be a part of a community forum in years, and although nearly every stakeholdership in Plainfield was represented we did miss attendance and participation from our business community and only hope that they will take us up on our next offer to be a part of the team to help move the Plainfield School System forward.
There were approximately 48 people in attendance not including the panel, and although not nearly a statistically significant number in terms of the parent/student ratio here in Plainfield; it certainly was an improvement in attendance as compared to previously held community forums by other organizations.
The Results : Having our Say!!!
Student’s Perspective
- Support from parents, teachers, administrators, and schools Resources
- Promote our students
- Provide students with a stage to practice life skills
- Mentorships with the leadership in Plainfield
- Partnership with schools and government
Parent’s Perspective
- Higher Expectations
- A Rigorous and Competitive Curriculum
- Greater scope of recreation programs to include applied science and math components
- Greater Collaboration and Cooperation with teachers administrators
Board of Ed, City Council, Clergy Perspectives
- Model Behaviors we expect from our children
- Increase student participation in afterschool programs
- Greater and Consistent Parent Involvement
- Better Communication
- Making everyone a part of the solution
- Using State facilities i.e. The Armory to serve as community youth space
- For churches to open their doors for afterschool programs
- Adopting schools to address spiritual and/or social needs of students
What’s Next…?
To try to take on this list with any level of commitment and expectation for getting it all done is a daunting task to say the least, but if we all left that forum with the purpose the meeting was intended we know it will take our COLLECTIVE effort to make any leeway.
As a result of this forum PEP has put together a few community activities in hopes of bringing about some of these recommendations. Specifically, we have purposed in cooperation with the current acting superintendent (and hopefully will transition this initiative with the NEW Superintendent) to ensure all schools have active, viable and compliant SLCs in place, and to redesign Back-to-School nights so that they serve as valid, valuable information portals to parents and teachers. In addition we've partnered in hosting the Superintendent’s Parent Social and will continue to encourage more parent friendly activities such as this. We are also working with SSFS to design a student summit for our middle schools to take place in 2009.
As the song goes “we are all in this together”. Whether we rise to the top or sink-- we will invariably get there together – maybe not all at once but eventually and collectively we will pass or fail as community.
