SBCSC Board of Trustees votes to table historic city compact agreement

By: Kylie Walker

Posted: Dec 17, 2018 10:38 PM EST

NOW: SBCSC Board of Trustees votes to table historic city compact agreement

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- The Board of Trustees for the South Bend Community School Corporation said the board is ready to sign a public partnership agreement with the City of South Bend.

A summary of the city compact agreement states that city administration and SBCSC would join together to form an Educational Compact to ‘engage shared priorities for the benefit of our studeents, families and South Bend community.’ On Monday, the Board of Trustees voted to table a vote on the agreement, but SBCSC Board of Trustees Vice President John Anella said the board is in support of the agreement.

“We’d like to get it done just hopefully we’ll have that done early next year,” said Anella.

Anella said the agreement is a framework for a partnership between the city and SBCSC in ways both entities can help each other and combine their resources. He said anything from joint use of parks and facilities to using the city’s technologies to track metrics could be a part of the agreement.

“I think it’s very important right now that we take hold of our future for ourselves,” said Jasmine Brown, who lives in South Bend. “Rather than allowing other forces to control us, allow South Bend to do for ourselves.”

Brown said in the past there has been a SBCSC liaison to bridge the work between South Bend schools and city administration. She said this agreement is imperative for the city and school corporation’s sustainability.

“The city can definitely support the school board as far as education initiatives going down state fighting for better education initiatives there,” she said. “And the school board can definitely support the city why not maintain and sustain the people that are here in the city so therefore they make a better south bend in the future as well.”

An official with SBCSC said this agreement would be the first of its kind. However, Anella said the city is still ironing out details of the agreement and would like to continue discussions with the South Bend Common Council after the New Year.