The Rochester City School Superintendent offered a speech that looked back and looked ahead to expected progress for city students.
Bolgen Vargas spent part of his annual State of Our Schools speech talking about positive changes in the district over the last couple of years. He says there is a new emphasis on fundamentals: attendance, reading and a more disciplined budget process.
But he also realizes there is a lot of work to do to raise the low graduation rates in the city, and he says that is something that the district cannot accomplish without help from parents, and other members of the community.
Vargas says he wants to close what he calls 'the opportunity gap,' saying that city students can do the work if they are just given the support that they need.
"Our children are as smart as any group of children in Monroe County, we don't lack potential here, our children are as capable as any group of children, but they need the opportunity."
Vargas's speech at the Franklin school campus was preceded by comments from School Board President Van White, who said the board and the district administration are stressing accountability from everyone.
White also called for a best practices summit, where educational leaders from around the region would share information about the best educational practices.
