By: Marcos Lebron

The Buffalo Schools superintendent is hoping to make some changes when it comes to Hispanic students and their families.

Dr. Donald Ogilvie celebrated his 33rd day on the job by sitting down with the Hispanic community on Monday and listening to community leaders concerns and to build partnerships.
Dr. Ogilvie spent an hour with Hispanic leaders at the Belle Community center on Buffalo’s Westside were he gave an overview about himself and discussed some of the greatest challenges facing the school district and Buffalo’s Hispanic students.

After his opening remarks the first to address the superintendent was SUNY trustee Eunice Lewin who thanked the superintendent for meeting with the community.

Some of the sharpest concerns were raised by Edwin Martinez, a longtime community activist and founding member of Hispanics United of Buffalo. Edwin Martinez said “The Buffalo Public Schools have to do a better job of engaging Latino parents, engaging students and developing better tools to address the concerns special Education and LEP students”.

While Paula Rosner the Former Executive Director of Hispanics united of Buffalo said “ The problems facing buffalo’s Hispanic schools students has been urgent for 35 years, we can’t afford to wait another minute, Hispanic students have the worse graduation rate in the district”.   

Dr. Ogilvie said he is working to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of employees in the school district, and that each decision he makes he will focus on the end goal of improving student instruction and outcomes.

Eunice Lewin a SUNY Board of Trustees member raised questions over failing schools and in particular, what is happening at Lafayette High school. Dr. Ogilve responded that he is still reviewing the matter with John Hopkins.

The meeting was ended with community leaders agreeing to develop an action plan in addressing the top five issues facing Hispanic students in the district and sitting with the superintendent to implement.