MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - February 15th, 2021
MS. WRIGHT'S WRITINGS…
February 15
You may wonder what teachers and staff do on professional development (PD) days when your children don’t have school. Depending on the time of year our agenda for these days vary. Many times teachers are working on curriculum development or finishing up grading and report cards while other times staff is engaging in our own learning on a variety of topics.
Last Friday’s PD day was centered around diversity, equity and inclusion. As a school, we have been engaged in the work around these topics for many years. As a staff, we continue to do the necessary self reflection so that we are aware of our own biases. We continue to build capacity in our ability to provide safe spaces for our students to have courageous conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion.
Here is a brief overview of the different Zoom sessions we were fortunate to participate in:
CONVERSATIONS & CONNECTIONS THAT LEAD TO LIBERATIONS
Speaker Phil Boyd is the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Services in the
Ferguson-Florissant School District and serves as an active board member of Forward Through Ferguson. This session examined what liberation means and unpacked how education
can be a tool for liberation. He shared strategies and big ideas on how to design a culture of liberation in our classrooms or departments. There was also conversation about the direct connection to understanding how self- care can be active liberation.
CREATING COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS AROUND RACE IN THE CLASSROOM
Mr. Jesse Ross spoke to us on how creating courageous conversations around race in the classroom can be difficult to navigate if you haven't been trained on what to do. It also can be
difficult if you haven't done a lot of work around understanding your own cultural background. In this conversation, we discussed ways to increase your awareness and recognize that no culture is better than another. We were able share ways to openly share frustrations but move from judgement and resistance to growth and development.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION WORK: EMPOWERMENT OF KIDS & STATE LEVEL POLICY WORK
Speakers Dr. Howard Fields is an Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in the
Kirkwood School District, Co-Founder of Black Males in Education St. Louis, 2020
National Elementary Distinguished Principal from Missouri and Adjunct Professor at Harris-Stowe State University and Dr. Darryl Diggs is a Principal at Hardin Middle School, Co-Founder of Black Males in Education St. Louis, and former Assistant Principal at Parkway South High School.
Dr. Fields and Dr. Diggs had an in depth discussion about the work they are doing in the classroom, out in the community, and on the state level relating to Anti Bias and Anti Racism.
IMPLICIT BIAS
The National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis
(NCCJ St. Louis) has promoted understanding and respect among all races, religions, and cultures through its advocacy and educational programs that embrace diversity, self-awareness, and community-wide change. In this session, an experienced facilitator explored implicit bias and what it is, our implicit biases and how it affects us, and how we can create change and understanding.
MICROAGGRESSIONS
Speaker Phil Hunsberfer is the co-owner of Educational Equity Consultants, a local agency that partners with many school districts to address topics of race and equity. “A microaggression is an intentional or unintentional comment or action, usually slight or subtle, that conveys negativity towards a marginalized person, group, or culture.” Through relevant research and exploration, we were able to identify and address racial microaggressions in the school environment.
Each one of these speakers brought incredibly rich content that allowed for honest and vulnerable conversations among our staff. I am incredibly grateful that I belong to an organization that values the work around diversity, equity and inclusion. As I continue on my learning journey, I welcome courageous conversations on these topics and would love the opportunity to discuss this work further with you.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Kindly,
Kim
314.645.9600 (607)~kwright@premiercharterschool.org