Hey Neighbors,
Remember when we all met back in March? It was so good to see you, back then! Here are some highlights from before the COVID days, from our PPNA Meeting on March 9.
Our April 13 meeting is CANCELLED due to COVID, but the Board is continuing to meet virtually. We are eager to share some April news and announcements. That's for another email, but we need your stories in the meantime!
We are going to highlight some Neighborhood News, some Community All Stars, and some Shining Stories from these dark days. What warmed your heart recently? Who do you know that showed you their community spirit? What made you laugh, made you proud, or gave you energy, recently?
Brag on yourself or your friends/family/neighbors/coworkers in a quick email to secretary@pattersonparkneighbors.org so that we can glimpse how the Patterson Park Neighbors support each other during COVID.
Sending you well-wishes from my stoop, Taylor
March Meeting Minutes
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Now seeking: Chair for Beautification Committee! Think art projects, gardening, infrastructure and development, youth and family activities, grant-funded projects. We would love to hear from you! Contact info@pattersonparkneighbors.org to express interest.
PPNA Membership: PPNA is a membership-driven organization. Membership fees help keep our organization afloat, support community activities, and contribute to our neighbors in times of crisis. Click here to purchase or renew your membership today! For questions about your membership, contact treasurer@pattersonparkneighbors.org.
Dumpster Day for Patterson Place Sector will be rescheduled post-COVID crisis, thus bringing new meaning to the idea of 'spring cleaning'. Stay-tuned for the rescheduled date. Contact Ernest with any questions or concerns, vppattersonplace@pattersonparkneighbors.org.
Sokol Baltimore offers gymnastics classes for ages 18 months though adult. Sokol Baltimore is launching a new program for Special Needs Gynmastics: gymnastic lessons designed for children with special challenges using small groups and private classes. While utilizing Sokol’s gymnastics facilities, children and teens with social, linguistic, physical, emotional, mental, behavioral, or sensory challenges will develop a variety of essential skills in a fun atmosphere. Contact Sokol Baltimore with questions or concerns, info@sokolbaltimore.org.
Thread: Megan Slaughter is the Community Manager for the new cohort of Thread students at Patterson Park High School. Seeking volunteers willing to build relationships with Thread students in our area. Contact Megan at Megan.slaughter@thread.org.
GUESTS
Dan Sparaco, Candidate for City Council President
Aiming to revamp the infrastructure at City Hall. We need to change the system that we have. The path to fixing that runs straight through the City Council President. Dan is running to remove that position as a barrier point to change in government, and rebuild the infrastructure.
Formerly served as Assistant Deputy Mayor for Operations, and as a lawyer in City Hall
The role of the Council President connects with all the resources, the politics, the committees of the Council. There are three main jobs of the Council President:
Supervise the City Council, and be accountable to the Council.
Serve as Chair of the Board of Estimates. Reduce barriers enacted by the Board of Estimates.
Step into the Mayoral role if something happens, to provide further oversight.
Aiming to create a strong mayoral position and an accountable City Council by doing away with the existing governmental structure.
Aiming to create an ethics commission
Aiming to create a governmental leadership bench that is accountable, and structured differently
Aiming to redistribute government resources more efficiently; aiming to shed light on the existing processes, and reevaluate the way the City secures contracts and allocates funding
For more information: visit www.DanSparaco.com or contact dan@dansparaco.com.
Emily Augustine, Founding Principal, Clay Hill Public Charter School (CHPCS)
Emily is a Butcher’s Hill resident, former Teacher and Assistant Principal at Patterson Park Public Charter School (PPPCS).
PPPCS has seen 600 applications for ~50 seats annually, with an attrition rate of only 5%.
CHPCS is Baltimore's newest charter school, a sister-school to PPPCS. 2019-2020 is the planning year. CHPCS is slated to open in Fall 2020 at 6400 East Pratt Street in Bayview.
In the first year, we will have grades K-2, then adding a new grade level each year, until 2020-2021 kindergartners graduate from Grade 8.
CHPCS will be a tuition-free, city-wide public charter school. Enrollment is by lottery. We are actively recruiting for new hires. We need teachers and an all-new school staff.
A few notes on enrollment: Charter schools in the southeast district can apply to have a ‘zone’ with in the district for enrollment priority, where the average income in the zone is at or below the average income level for the City. There will be a 15% enrollment preference for English Language Learners, and a 35% enrollment preference for students who need economic aid. There will also be enrollment preferences for children of staff members, siblings of students, or founding members. We will rely on these enrollment preferences once we have established enrollment by lottery. Right now, we’ve not yet reached our enrollment threshold of grades K-2 students for our first year.
For more information, including all positions for hire and info for students and families, visit www.joinclayhill.org, or contact Emily at eaugustine@pppcs.org.
Brandon Scott, Candidate for Mayor
Brandon is aiming to restore trust in City government, and create a new way forward for transparency and accountability.
Baltimore City is a $3 billion business that has not changed structurally or operationally since 1974.
Other counties must appoint County Executives and County Administrators. Baltimore doesn’t have that.
Plan for Ending Gun Violence: Brandon as Mayor will use a comprehensive policing approach that targets violent offenders, gets illegal guns off of our streets, and reduces violence by treating this crisis as a public health emergency. Under his leadership, the City will invest in youth programming and create career pathways for all—including people comparing home from prison.
Plan for Holding City Government Accountable: Brandon believes our City Government should be accountable to you, the citizens of Baltimore. As Mayor, he will appointment the first City Administrator, in order to improve City Hall’s transparency, effectiveness, and efficient use of your tax dollars. This practice is common in our region and throughout the country, and is long overdue in Baltimore.
Plan for Creating Opportunities for Baltimore’s Youth: Baltimore’s school system has long been overlooked and underfunded. Brandon will ensure that city students get their fair share. He will fight for the funding needed from the State and will responsibly increase City Hall’s contribution to our schools. Additionally, he will expand rec centers to be open seven days a week and create a year-round YouthWorks program.
Aiming to change the Board of Estimates so that they can be accountable and electable
Aiming to reduce the power of the Mayoral role
Aiming to create culture change and shift the culture and the attitude of government workers in Baltimore City; aiming to be a leader that understands how to build a team of leaders that will lead to structural change
Aiming to build relationships in order to be an effective leader for the City
For more information, visit www.BrandonForBaltimore.com or contact brandon@brandonforbaltimore.com.
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