COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCIL DISTRICT 17
Calendar & Business Meeting Minutes
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Calendar Meeting: 6:30 PM
Business Meeting: Reconvened at 7:43 PM
Location: PS191 Paul Robeson, 1600 Park Place, Brooklyn, NY 11233 / Zoom
President: Erika Kendall
I. CALENDAR MEETING
1. Call to Order
President Erika Kendall called the September Calendar Meeting to order and welcomed members, families, and community participants.
2. Roll Call
Roll call was conducted. Members recorded as present during the meeting included Erika Kendall, Rebecca Jacques, Ruby Miller, Dory Thrasher, Teresa James, Letisha Amada, Tiffany Melville, Tyeast McCain, and Antoinetta Meekins. Michelle Morris was noted as excused. Several members joined during the course of the meeting.
3. NYC Kids RISE! Presentation
The scheduled NYC Kids RISE! presentation was postponed because the presenter was unable to attend. President Kendall stated that the presentation would be rescheduled and that the community would receive advance notice of the new date.
4. Report of Community Superintendent — Shenean Lindsay
Superintendent Shenean Lindsay presented an update on the opening of the 2026–27 school year and District 17 priorities.
Opening of the School Year
Superintendent Lindsay reported that the first day and first week of school had gone smoothly across District 17, with no major complaints or incidents reported. She highlighted the District 17 Back-to-School Kickoff, where more than 300 book bags had been distributed, with additional families continuing to receive support. The event included participation from CEC17 members, district staff, school staff, and elected officials.
District 17 RISE Framework
Superintendent Lindsay introduced the District’s RISE framework:
- R — Relationships: Building strong relationships with students, staff, families, and communities; establishing trust; and creating safe, welcoming school climates.
- I — Instruction: Providing high-quality, grade-level instruction, while using intervention and enrichment to address student needs.
- S — Scholars: Ensuring every scholar belongs, is valued, and is supported to succeed, with attention to literacy, numeracy, high expectations, and identity-affirming learning.
- E — Engagement: Centering student voice, joyful learning, attendance, and partnerships with families and community members.
The Superintendent emphasized that RISE is intended to consolidate and communicate the district’s existing priorities rather than replace them. The stated mission is to surround every scholar with strong relationships and powerful instruction so that the district rises together, with a vision that every student rises and graduates prepared for college, career, and life.
Student Achievement and School Progress
Superintendent Lindsay recognized District 17 schools for their 2026 assessment performance and year-over-year progress.
Among elementary schools, she highlighted:
- Literacy proficiency: PS241 Emma L. Johnston
- Mathematics proficiency: PS249 The Caton
- Greatest literacy progress: PS289 George V. Brower
- Greatest mathematics progress: PS221 Toussaint L. Ouverture
Among middle schools, she highlighted:
- Literacy proficiency: Ebbets Field Middle School
- Mathematics proficiency: Ronald Edmonds Learning Center 2
- Greatest literacy progress: New Heights Middle School
- Greatest mathematics progress: IS340
The Superintendent congratulated school leaders, teachers, and staff for the reported gains and emphasized continued work to expand progress across the district.
State of the District
Superintendent Lindsay announced a State of the District Zoom event for September 22 at 6:00 PM. The event will address the state of District 17 schools, district goals, plans for achieving those goals, and questions concerning small class size. A flyer and Zoom information were to be distributed to the community.
Artificial Intelligence
In response to a question from President Kendall regarding new AI guidance, Superintendent Lindsay agreed to provide a fuller presentation on the district’s AI policy during her October report. She stated that District 17 schools currently have limited screen time and that students are using books; she also stated that students were not currently using AI in classrooms. She said the October presentation would address the rationale behind the district’s approach, including the importance of students developing critical-thinking skills independently.
Attendance
President Kendall asked about reports concerning a new attendance-related role. Superintendent Lindsay stated that she did not yet have information specific to District 17 and would share information when available.
Rose Graham clarified that the new role is a school avoidance liaison, an additional member of an attendance team who would receive specialized training and support the attendance effort rather than replace existing attendance staff.
Graham also noted that September is Attendance Awareness Month and described the district’s approach as moving from attendance compliance toward collaborative student engagement involving families and community stakeholders. Superintendent Lindsay reported that chronic absenteeism in District 17 had decreased by approximately 7%, while noting that additional improvement remained a goal.
A Panel for Educational Policy member, Maddy Fox, added that her understanding of the revised Chancellor’s regulation was that the attendance-related changes were intended to provide additional support to students and families experiencing chronic absenteeism.
5. Comment Period — Elected Officials & Community-Based Organizations
No elected officials or community-based organizations requested the floor during this portion of the meeting.
6. Public Comment
Maddy Fox, a newly appointed Panel for Educational Policy member, introduced herself and stated that she planned to attend CEC meetings across Brooklyn and the city to listen to school communities. She encouraged District 17 stakeholders to contact her with questions or concerns and provided information regarding the upcoming Panel for Educational Policy meeting and public-comment process.
President Kendall also encouraged community members to remain in contact with CEC17 and offered to receive and elevate community questions and concerns.
7. President’s Announcements
President Kendall announced that the District Planning Task Force would reconvene on September 29 at 7:00 PM with the Office of District Planning.
The meeting will focus on District 17 enrollment data and the district data workbook, including school enrollment, school size, use of school space, available resources, and potential future planning needs. President Kendall encouraged broad participation so that community perspectives can inform the Council’s understanding of district needs and priorities.
President Kendall also discussed the importance of proactively preparing for potential future citywide school-planning and integration discussions, noting that District 17 was not among the first five districts selected for the city’s current planning process but could potentially be involved in a future phase.
8. Adjournment of Calendar Meeting
At approximately 7:24 PM, Teresa James moved to adjourn the Calendar Meeting. Letisha Amada seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:25 PM, with the Business Meeting scheduled to reconvene following a 15-minute intermission.
II. BUSINESS MEETING
1. Call to Order
President Kendall reconvened the Business Meeting at approximately 7:43 PM.
President Kendall reminded attendees that public comment and public contributions are not taken during the Business Meeting.
2. Roll Call
Roll call was conducted. The transcript records Rebecca Jacques, Ruby Miller, Dory Thrasher, Teresa James, Letisha Amada, Tiffany Melville, Tyeast McCain, and Antoinetta Meekins as participating, with Michelle Morris previously noted as excused.
3. Member Reports
Tyeast McCain reported on a recent District 17 principals’ meeting held at Industry City. CEC members had an opportunity to meet principals, assistant principals, and parent coordinators and hear district updates concerning school performance. Members also discussed Celebrate 17!, district planning, and continued CEC/district partnerships.
President Kendall also reported that Mayor Mamdani visited PS249/The Caton on the first day of school as part of a citywide school visit, meeting with school leadership and students and participating in a classroom activity.
4. Ongoing Business
A. District Planning Task Force
The District Planning Task Force will meet September 29 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. The Office of District Planning has requested an opportunity to meet with the CEC in person as part of the planning process.
The district data workbook will be used as the basis for discussion. President Kendall will circulate the workbook to members who do not already have access to it.
B. Chancellor’s Town Hall
The Chancellor’s Town Hall was confirmed for May 4, 2027. The location has not yet been finalized.
CEC17 discussed potential school locations and noted that the selected venue should have:
- A sufficiently large auditorium;
- Good accessibility and transportation access;
- Full ADA/wheelchair accessibility; and
- Appropriate facilities for a large community event.
Schools discussed as possible locations included PS722/New Heights Middle School and PS249/The Caton. PS138 was also discussed but raised concerns regarding auditorium size and lack of heating and cooling.
The Council will continue considering venue options.
C. Celebrate 17! Festival
Tyeast McCain reported that planning for the Celebrate 17! Festival is in its early stages.
Immediate priorities include:
- Meeting with Rose Graham to identify and contact elected officials;
- Seeking sponsorships and partnerships;
- Recruiting organizations and community partners to participate;
- Identifying potential food vendors and other collaborators; and
- Determining an appropriate venue.
The first planning meeting was initially scheduled for October 13. Because of scheduling conflicts, members agreed to use a Doodle poll to identify a workable date for the first planning meeting.
Potential venue considerations included whether the anticipated site would have sufficient space and whether planned activities, including possible bounce houses, could be accommodated. The group agreed that the venue decision should be discussed collectively rather than made by one individual.
D. Administrative Assistant Hiring
Antoinetta Meekins reported that Tesa had already contacted HR and that there were no immediate actions required from the Council. Tesa had provided a sample set of interview questions.
The Council agreed to create a shared Google Doc where members could contribute interview questions. Questions will then be consolidated to ensure that members’ areas of interest are represented and that the Council has comprehensive feedback for evaluating candidates.
President Kendall will follow up with Tesa regarding:
- The next steps in the hiring process;
- Responsibility for contacting candidates;
- Candidate availability; and
- Any applicable requirements or guidance governing candidate communication.
5. New Business
CEC Website and Reimbursements
Tyeast McCain reminded President Kendall that the Council needs the login information necessary to work on the CEC website and noted the need to address the Council’s website compliance.
President Kendall explained that the existing WordPress login had become inaccessible and that she was working to reset/rebuild the installation. She committed to providing the necessary information once the issue was resolved.
McCain also raised outstanding reimbursement issues. President Kendall asked any member who had submitted reimbursement paperwork but had not received all or part of their reimbursement to contact her with the details so that she could follow up with the appropriate parties.
AI Discussion for October
President Kendall reported that Superintendent Lindsay had provided a presentation from Central concerning the DOE’s approach to AI. Because AI had not been clearly identified on the original public agenda and because the subject had generated significant community discussion previously, President Kendall and Superintendent Lindsay agreed that the presentation should be scheduled with advance notice.
The October meeting is therefore expected to include a more detailed AI discussion. Members may also consider whether a CEC resolution concerning AI is appropriate after reviewing the district presentation and community concerns. No AI-related resolution was adopted at this meeting.
NYC Kids RISE!
Because the scheduled NYC Kids RISE! presenter was unable to attend the September meeting, President Kendall noted that the presentation would need to be rescheduled. She anticipated that October could become a particularly full meeting and indicated that she would explore whether the Kids RISE! discussion could instead be moved to November.
6. Meeting Planning
Teresa James assisted President Kendall with completing and preparing permits for CEC meetings for the school year.
Not all meeting locations had yet been approved. President Kendall explained that school availability and competing community events had made scheduling locations more complicated than anticipated. She will continue contacting principals and confirming permits.
Once locations are confirmed and permits are approved, President Kendall will distribute the complete meeting-location schedule to members.
The Council also discussed sharing school contact information so members can communicate directly with principals when appropriate. President Kendall reported that she had obtained a roster of District 17 schools, principals, and contact information.
Upcoming Dates
The following dates were identified:
- September 22, 2026, 6:00 PM: State of the District
- September 29, 2026, 7:00 PM: District Planning Task Force
- October 20, 2026: Next CEC meeting
- May 4, 2027: Chancellor’s Town Hall
President Kendall also noted that the district data provided in advance of the State of the District presentation would be circulated to members once the access issue was resolved. The Superintendent offered a mid-month check-in to discuss the data and district observations in greater detail.
7. Adjournment
At approximately 8:25 PM, with the agenda complete, Teresa James moved to adjourn the Business Meeting. Dory Thrasher seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.