Centerville families,
Over the past few days, we have been celebrating the Class of 2020. As we send our newest graduates into the world, we can't help but reflect on the current climate in our country. We have seen more violence against Black Americans, most recently the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and others, and we have witnessed protests in communities across the United States, including the peaceful protest here in Centerville this week. We want to provide our support to people of color in the fight against racial injustice and inequality, and you may be wondering what we can do as a school community to help our students, friends and neighbors.
We know our students enter the classroom carrying an assortment of beliefs. This may include racial and cultural prejudices picked up from their neighborhoods, pop culture and their families. Educators can help combat prejudice and racial discord by supporting positive behaviors among students, fostering a sense of belonging for all students and their families, and instilling respect for all people.
Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team has created a District Diversity Plan to help us make progress as a school district. This includes developing an awareness of our own cultural lens, diverse perspectives, and inequities in education and society; increasing community engagement and parental involvement; recruiting and retaining staff from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations; and removing barriers that impede the engagement of all students in curricular and extracurricular activities.
All of our teachers and administrators attended a diversity presentation last fall with Dr. Lawrence Burnley and Tiffany Taylor Smith, two prominent diversity and inclusion experts, and those conversations have continued through our Winter and Summer Institute courses. We started a mentorship program with Wright State University to help support teaching candidates from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations, and we partnered with Equal Opportunity Schools to increase the number of minority and under-resourced candidates taking Advanced Placement classes. Through character education programs, guest speakers and learning activities that instill respect for diversity, we are trying to build a culture of understanding and acceptance among our students.
But there is still much work to be done. We can listen to and learn from each other. We can keep reading and researching. We can talk to our children and teach them how to stand up for others. We are committed to moving forward as a school district, and we encourage our families to check in with one and another and engage in conversation. If you don't know where to start, our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee suggests checking out these resources for talking about race, racism and racialized violence with young people from the Center for Racial Justice in Education. You can also follow the DEI team on Twitter @CentervilleDEI for additional resources.
Please watch for more communication about opportunities for the community from our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team. We hope that by participating in the conversation, we can be part of the change in our community and our country.
Be safe and well, and if you or your family need support, please reach out to us.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tom Henderson Superintendent Centerville City Schools |