Dear Families,

I hope this communication finds you and your loved ones well. It is hard to believe we have been out of our building since March 13th and in that time, our community, our country, and our world has endured a great deal of heartache, tragedy and loss. We have seen the impacts of Covid-19 on our families and dealt with the stress of quarantine.

Most recently, we have witnessed another senseless killing of a black man and seen or participated in protests around the world in support of #BlackLivesMatter. I want to acknowledge that it is a lot. If you feel exhausted, you are not alone. If you’re not sure what to do next, you are not alone. If you feel upset, helpless, and angry, you are not alone. So far, 2020 has challenged us all to consider what matters most, to care for our community in new ways and, hopefully, to take action so that we emerge stronger and more connected.

Please take some time read my thoughts on being anti-racist. My hope is that we can recognize that we all have a part in creating a safer world for our children. As always, know that you are not alone. I see you, I am here for you and I stand in solidarity with each and every one of you. Take care, be safe, find your voice and take action. My cell number to call or text is: 360.988.3600 or you can always email me at Arionda.Feeney@bellinghamschools.org.

Regards, Ari

“In a racist society, it’s not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” – Angela Davis, Political Activist

I have spent this past week reflecting on the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the subsequent protests around our country and world. While racism and the fight for equity is not new, it is clear to me that there continues to be a great deal of work to be done in order to dismantle the systems of oppression that allow for racist acts to occur. I firmly believe that through discomfort, change will emerge. It is incumbent on each of us as educators and parents to disrupt the status quo, live in the discomfort and take deliberate actions to be anti-racist.

At Carl Cozier, an important element of the International Bachelorette framework is the notion of student Agency and Action. We want to develop students who are internationally minded and recognize that their actions (or non-actions) impact the world. Through the development of student agency, we encourage students to ask questions, to seek understanding and to initiate action to create a world that sees diversity as our greatest strength. Our IB lens is the ideal backdrop to have conversations about equity, diversity, and inclusion with your children.

Being non-racist is the belief that racism is wrong, and that people should be treated fairly, not judged because of the color of their skin. It is time that we all commit to being anti-racist. We need to deliberately and intentionally dismantle the systems of racism that foster an environment where our African-American brothers, sisters, neighbors, and community members have to live their life in fear. Our responsibility is help our children embrace anti-racist actions so that our future generations are empowered with the skills, knowledge, and agency to take action against oppression.

Our Cozier team and the Bellingham School District makes this commitment to you. We will continue to intentionally support anti-racist teaching and strive to develop our collective voice of equity, diversity, and inclusion. I have included several resources for your family to explore. Let us not stop with the rallying and protesting, but rather commit to educating ourselves, empowering our children and making deliberate change through our actions. I welcome your thoughts and encourage further dialogue.

Every Monday

• Food Distribution – come to Carl Cozier OR Regency Park every Monday, 11:00-12:30pm for a food box. Each box contains 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches as well as a bag of fruits/veggies and a half gallon of milk. Food items include things like bread, tuna, Mac & Cheese and various snack items. If this would be helpful for your families, we would love to see you. If you can’t make the Monday distribution, let me know and we will deliver or make other arrangements.
• New Learning Menu Posted – Monday is the day that your child’s teacher posts the new learning menu for the week. Each menu includes math, reading, writing, science/social studies, SEL and art lessons. Check it out and make a plan for completion for the week. Pro Tip: Click the button below the menu that says, “view original”, then safe the .pdf to your desktop for easy access throughout the week.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays

• Look for great daily videos from your child’s teacher (and maybe a guest teacher too!). Help your child watch the videos and consider ways that your child might work on that specific learning activity.

• Specialist video – every Friday, you’ll see an extra special video from Music Teacher, Ms. Campbell or PE teachers, Mr. Lund or Mr. Carlson. These videos connect to the learning menu item for the week and are great fun. Check it out!
• Friday Assembly video – I’ll be posting our weekly Friday Assembly video to Seesaw every Friday morning. This is a great way to help students maintain the routine of school. I love seeing reply comments and welcome “content” for the Assembly (singing of the school song, pet photos, fun activity photos, etc). Feel free to send them my way! Text or email is best (see info above)