U-46 Equity Matters Newsletter
Information & Resources for Everyone to Use and Share
September 13, 2022
- Teresa A. Lance, Ed.D, Asst. Superintendent of Equity & Innovation
- Mitch Briesemeister, Director of Educational Pathways
- Michele Chapman, Director of Postsecondary Success
- Lisa Jackson, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Melissa Damewood, CTE Coordinator
- Alexa Charsha Hahn, School Counselor Lead
- Doreen Roberts, Teacher Leader
- Al Tamburrino, District AVID Support
- Jennifer Downey, Secretary of Career and Technical Education
- Margaret Kallal, Secretary of Educational Pathways and Postsecondary Success
- Melissa Stevenson, Administrative Asst. of Equity & Innovation
From the Desk of Teresa A. Lance, Ed.D
For those of you new to U-46 this year, welcome! If you are returning for the second or umpteenth year, welcome back!
Three weeks in and it feels so good to be back in session. Although I am no longer working directly in schools and the classroom, the start of the school year continues to rejuvenate me. Perhaps it’s knowing the power of school, whether it’s transforming lives or our students transforming us (if we let it). No matter what, I still believe in the collective power of an entire school staff. It does not matter what your title is, everyone has the potential to impact the life of a child. Dr. Bettina Love, author of We Want to Do More Than Survive-Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom, wrote, “Abolitionist teaching moves beyond gimmicks and quick fixes to examine the root causes of the educational survival complex, teaches from a place of love…” (2019, p. 104). Are you ready to love our students so much that you will confront low expectations, dismantle stereotypes, and bring joy into the cafeteria, classrooms, buses, gymnasiums, hallways, offices, any and everywhere? I am; how about you? Please join us on this long but worthwhile journey if you are. You can start where you are and sometimes it might begin with reading a book about another culture, asking questions of our students, colleagues, and families before making assumptions, pausing before reacting, joining our equity committee, attending students’ extracurricular events, getting to know someone outside of your circle. The first step begins with you, but you are not alone.
The Equity and Innovation Department and so many others are here with you. As such, in an attempt to reach a wider net of U-46 colleagues, the Equity and Innovation Department launched our Equity Matters Newsletter last school year and published it monthly. We hope to continue that tradition by providing you with our Equity Matters Newsletter each month this school year. Our goal is to provide information relative to our respective roles while also providing resources to assist you in creating more equitable learning environments. We hope that you will read, share, and apply any learnings you may gain from accessing the Equity Matters Newsletter.
In this first issue of the 22-23 school year, we want to once again welcome our newest team member, Mrs. Melissa Damewood. Mrs. Damewood is our new Career and Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator. In just under a few short weeks, Mrs. Damewood has been busy visiting our middle and high school teachers, providing resources, and setting up mini-learning hubs. We are fortunate to have Mrs. Damewood.
This issue also contains a synopsis of our five days of keynote speakers during our 2nd Annual Equity Symposium. You can find the synopsis here and because it is full of good information, I want to encourage you to print it out and pin it so it is front and center. A huge thank you to the following individuals who contributed to the equity symposium keynote wrap-up/synopsis:
Michele Chapman
Lisa Jackson
Brian Lindholm
Joel Pollack
Lela Majstorovic
Doreen Roberts
Leatrice Satterwhite
If there is something that you would like for us to consider adding to our newsletters, please let us know by dropping a note here. Finally, thank you on behalf of our entire department, and have an awesome school year!
Yours in Service,
Teresa A. Lance, Ed.D
Assistant Superintendent for Equity and Innovation
Feedback from our 2nd Annual Equity Symposium
In an effort to improve, we asked for feedback regarding our 2nd Annual Equity Symposium using the platform, Thought Exchange. You may review the results of each exchange by clicking on the hyperlinks below. Thank you to everyone who participated.
U-46 Equity Plan
Be An Equity Ambassador
Equity Ambassador may not be an official title added to public service job descriptions, but it should be. When Equity Ambassador is added to an educator’s job description it should include:
Recognition that people within school communities do not all start from the same place.
Ability to acknowledge, identify, and make adjustments to intentional and unintentional disparities and barriers due to bias, racism, and systemic structures.
Education is one of the oldest structures in our country and our institutions are embedded with inequitable practices. Inequities can be so embedded, they are normalized. As educators, we should all commit to demolish institutional education inequities.
Educators are unique in individual equity journeys and in U-46 we are aligned through an organizational equity plan and an equity vision, mission, and core beliefs. Through this commonality, we can acknowledge, identify, and eliminate disparities, barriers, bias, and systemic racism.
Start by looking within. Use an equity lens and ask yourself:
Who am I?
Who do people think I am?
Who do I pretend to be?
Parts of your answers that do not align with our organizational purpose or equity plan, can be a starting place for you. Lean into discomfort. Learn into discomfort. Grow in discomfort. Be in spaces that don’t look like you. Be in spaces that don’t sound like you.
Are you an Equity Ambassador? Do you know an Equity Ambassador? Can you share a step you’ve taken on your equity journey? Let me know. Let’s learn from each other. I want to highlight the work we all do! Email me doreenroberts@u-46.org or follow and connect with me on Twitter @doroberts30.
Bartlett High School Call to Committee
Bartlett High School Magnet Academy - Call to Committee!
We could sure use your support! Why, you ask?
Bartlett High School (BHS) Magnet Academy curriculum and facilities are scheduled to be updated. Changes that already occurred include increasing access through a revised application process and implementation of an Integrated Mathematics course sequence aligned with Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Integrated Math Standards.
The curriculum committee will convene to review the academy theme and courses and update them as necessary. The committee will ensure the magnet academy recommendations adhere to the Magnet Framework (21-22). Please see the full Call to Committee information and interest survey linked below.
Thank you!
U-46 Referral Data
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
This summer we held our first Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) Site Coordinator and Administrator Workshop in July with 37 middle and high school staff attending. The purpose of this annual workshop is to help the 13 U46 AVID sites prepare for the upcoming school year. Sites worked to develop AVID Site Goals that are aligned with U46 Rising tenants and the District’s Moral Imperative. Additionally, we had 34 U46 staff attend the AVID Summer Institute in Orlando, Dallas, or virtually through AVID’s Digital XP format. These summer learning opportunities are helping to give each middle and high school a boost in developing their AVID elective course and pursuit of schoolwide implementation of AVID instructional strategies. This school year, we have more than 1,600 students enrolled in the AVID elective in our middle and high schools. Our AVID students are learning the skills necessary to be leaders among their peers and prepare for successful life-long learning. Our data shows that students in the AVID elective consistently demonstrate higher levels of attendance, grades, and preparation for post-secondary education by learning the AVID methodologies than their non-AVID peers. Many of these methodologies mirror those that are embedded in U46 Rising. Our AVID Site Teams will continue to develop their school’s staff and students’ understanding and use of AVID. The mission of AVID is alive and well in U46 - To close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.
Affinity Groups in U-46
We are in our third year of leveraging affinity groups to hold safe and brave spaces for all staff within U-46. In addition to engaging through African American, Asian, Latino/a/x, LGBTQ+, and White Allyship affinity groups, this year we have platforms for our colleagues who identify as someone from the Individuals with Disabilities and MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) communities. As you read this article about the positive role affinity groups play within the workplace, consider how it aligns to your desire to feel embraced, validated, affirmed, and valued for who you are, each of your unique and shared experiences, and all that you bring with you every day that you serve within U-46. If this sounds like something that you would like to be a part of or continue being a part of, join us by completing the Affinity Group Interest Survey by September 23, 2022. Please reach out to Lisa Jackson, at lisajackson@u-46.org, if you have any questions.
CTE Spotlight- Automotive Educator, Clint Peterson- Elgin High School
Clint has always had a passion for cars, like many auto enthusiasts he has spent countless hours with his head buried in an engine. His passion of being able to create, build and see the accomplishment of a project coming together directed him to join the Laborers Union as a young man. Now he is enjoying his second career as an Automotive teacher. “ I am so lucky to get to teach these kids everyday, I have always gotten a lot of satisfaction out of building things and now I get to teach kids and help them build their knowledge and skills.” The Elgin Automotive lab is an active classroom where students are engaged in learning with Clint Peterson at the helm.
The Automotive program is at the point in the program’s cycle to accept donations; automobiles, diesel engines and small engines. “ My goal is to help students make broader connections by relating the parts of a car engine to other engines, such as a lawn mower or boat. I want to expand their thinking, guide them to see the similarities and differences and apply that to larger academic concepts.” Clint is excited to support student learning and would welcome any donations to expand the variety of automobiles and engines that the students can experiment on. “ There is a vast landscape of technical careers for students to access. My goal is to give them multiple experiences and exposure so that when they graduate they can apply what they have learned in our program in a variety of settings.” Please contact Clint Peterson at clintpeterson@U-46.org for any donation inquiries.
Grading for Equity
Most recently I've been reflecting on my grading practices as a former middle school teacher. Perhaps this reflection was triggered after seeing the number of E's the first few weeks of school. As such, I started to reading the book, Grading for Equity, by Joe Feldman. Mr. Feldman's opening chapter jarred me. Specifically, I wondered who I harmed due to holding sacred my grading practices. Which students did not graduate on time, did not get into their first college of choice, or worse, left my classroom deflated? If you have similar questions, allow me to share that you are not alone. We cannot right those wrongs, but we can do better. If you want to learn more about Mr. Feldman's thoughts and strategies for Grading for Equity, read chapter one here (open source).
Educational Pathways
Explore 2022: Important Changes
After two years of offering our signature 8th-grade career exploration experience virtually, we are looking forward to returning to the NOW Arena for an in-person event on October 6th. In alignment with our goal of every student being college and career ready, we are making some important changes. The biggest change will be utilizing the Educational Pathways that each of our high schools will be hosting to group our industry partners with corresponding U-46 programs. Students will complete a pre-lesson designed by our counselors utilizing the Naviance platform to learn about their interests and aptitudes. Based on these results, students will select two Educational Pathways to visit. Within each Educational Pathway, students will have the chance to interact with industry representatives, see displays of U-46 programs aligned to these industries, and learn about one or more Magnet Academies that they could apply to.
To maximize the knowledge students obtain from the visit, groups of students and chaperones will be paired with a volunteer tour guide who will ensure that each exhibit is fully understood by students and all questions are answered.
When students return to their schools they will engage in a lesson, discuss their experiences, build a deeper understanding, and most importantly- plan next steps. This lesson will be structured utilizing tools and practices established through U-46 Rising.
We have two outcomes for our Explore event. First, we hope students have a clearer understanding of which Educational Pathway is aligned to their early career interests and secondly, that students apply the knowledge they gained to select courses aligned to their interests and/or apply to an academy for their freshman year.
Post Secondary Success Updates
The Post-Secondary Department hosted the first district-wide meeting of the semester on August 25th. Teams of administrators, counselors, and teachers representing each of our high schools came together to build relationships, discuss the importance of post-secondary work and set 45-day goals. Each team had an opportunity to talk about their building priorities this year and begin to work on action steps to meet these goals.
We are excited to announce that each of our middle schools have at least two counselors for the 22-23 school year. With the addition of this counselor, we will be able to provide students with more opportunities for social and emotional awareness, academic support, and post-secondary exploration.
Our high school counselors kicked off the school year with a watch party during the Keynote Coffee and Conversation with Dr. Daniel-Tatum, Dr. Banks, Dr. Sleeter, Dr. Pang, Dr. Milner, and Dr. Gay. Counselors then engaged in the first of a multi-session Equity Advising training hosted by our community partners, One Goal.
22-23 Equity Committee Meeting
Thu, Sep 15, 2022, 04:00 PM
Elgin Community College, Spartan Drive, Elgin, IL, USA
About Us
Email: melissastevenson@u-46.org
Website: https://www.u-46.org/equity-diversity
Location: 355 East Chicago Street, Elgin, IL, USA
Phone: 847-888-5000
Twitter: @U46EquityMatte1