Equity & Inclusion Newsletter
STAFF Edition 2: October 2020
- This committee was established in 2018, and was recently renamed. We are in the process of finalizing an updated action plan and will share that with you.
- It is important that we are all aware of and thinking about the goals and commitments as a district that we are making to the work of equity, inclusivity, diversity.
- The committee is comprised of administrators, certified and classified staff, families, students, and community members.
- If you are interested in joining, you can contact Benay Woodford: bwoodford@region15.org
Monthly Read Aloud Video
We selected She Was the First: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm (2020) by Katheryn Russell-Brown, illustrated by Eric Velasquez.
This book was read with permission from Lee & Low books.
Read:Article: Bias Starts as Early as Preschool, But Can be Unlearned This article is relevant for ALL STAFF, no matter the age groups you work with, and the links embedded in the article are great. | WatchWe find ourselves living in a country in a time of striking polarization, just before a presidential election. I hope this talk offers some moments of solace and collective grounding in what the language of being human really means, and how we can be sure we are using the language of being human with one another in Region 15. | Listen Teaching Hard History is a comprehensive, podcast with 3 seasons, even if you don't teach Social Studies! Growing up, there is critical, important history I missed. This podcast helps on the path of unlearning and relearning. |
Read:
Article: Bias Starts as Early as Preschool, But Can be Unlearned
This article is relevant for ALL STAFF, no matter the age groups you work with, and the links embedded in the article are great.
Watch
We find ourselves living in a country in a time of striking polarization, just before a presidential election. I hope this talk offers some moments of solace and collective grounding in what the language of being human really means, and how we can be sure we are using the language of being human with one another in Region 15.
Listen
Hispanic Heritage Month
8 Must Read Children's Books for National Hispanic Heritage Month
A beautiful video from Yuyi Morales, author and illustrator of Dreamers
Indigenous Peoples Day was Oct 12...Consider this:
This day offers us with an opportunity to critically reflect on taking action to appropriately acknowledge and teach meaningfully about the Indigenous people of the land of our Region. Recommend taking some time on here.
Upcoming, free professional learning opportunities
With election day November 3, join this session for how to center humanity with students, regardless of election outcome | This Dismantling Systemic Racism in Education series is under way, but the lineup for upcoming Wednesdays at 7 pm is awesome:
| Celebrating Us: Voices of LGBTQ+ Youth (in CT!!) This is a youtube video, so you can access it anytime. October is LGBTQ+ history month, and an associated title I recommend for reading is: A Queer History of the United States for Young People |
- October 21: Putting Your ABAR Lens to Practice, Liz Kleinrock
- October 28: Culturally Relevant Practices in Schools during COVID-19, Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings
- November 4: This Book Is Anti-Racist, Tiffany M. Jewell, & Dr. Peniel Joseph
- November 11: Techquity, Ken Shelton
- November 18: Toward Healing Centered Engagement in Classrooms, Schools and Communities, Dr. Christina Villarreal
This is a youtube video, so you can access it anytime.
October is LGBTQ+ history month, and an associated title I recommend for reading is: A Queer History of the United States for Young People
Follow on social media for resources and updates
Instagram: r15equity_inclusion
*Note: Image (c) 2019 CLC Collective and Dottir Press