In the effort to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, some district and school leaders are rebranding DEI to focus on the broader concepts of inclusion and belonging for all students.
Educational equity should be a core focus, providing all students with equal access to exemplary learning opportunities and necessary support. The goal of promoting DEI in PK-12 education is to ensure that ALL students have access, opportunity, and success on their learning journey.
School leaders play a crucial role in fostering inclusion and belonging by prioritizing the needs of ALL children and addressing historical barriers that may hinder some student's success.
#EducationEquity#DiversityInclusion#BelongingForAll
McCrummen Here!
Last Sunday I had the honor of graduating the Class of 2024! It was also my last graduation as I am moving on from Todd Beamer High School.
As the proud principal of TBHS for the past three years, I am grateful for the lessons learned and the transformation of our school community. I came on board as students came back from the remote world of "Zoom Education," and as every educator out there knows, the 2021 school year was the most difficult time in modern education.
Todd Beamer High School was mired in mediocrity and labeled the most difficult school in the region. The negative reputation permeated the entire community, and even other parts of the country. When I asked to take the Principalship at TBHS the collective reactions ranged from shock to questioning my sanity.
Over the last three school years, we have collectively changed the entire school community and as our motto now proudly reflects, "We ARE Beamer Strong!"
I am a firm believer that you do not need "years and years" to bring about major changes in culture. When I was working on my administrative internship years ago, I interviewed a veteran principal who told me," It will take you 4-6 to change an elementary, 5-7 for middle school and at LEAST 10 years for a high school." Well, no school has that time, and our students deserve better than that.
Through relentless positivity, high expectations/high support, transparency, student agency, teacher leadership and true collective efficacy Todd Beamer has "Leveled Up."
In three short years we, collectively, have:
1. Built a culture of "Beamer Strong!"
2. 5% growth on State testing in both ELA and Math with the highest growth rate in the district.
3. Dramatic increase in students attending sports and clubs.
4. Teacher leaders who regularly showcase best practices during professional development.
5. Athletic teams going to and competing in State Tournaments, including Boys' Basketball and Soccer.
6. An authentic feedback cycle where staff provide voice that results in deep conversations and specific action steps.
7. Student listening sessions and Principal Advisory that create the conditions for student agency.
8. A very strong social media voice- Instagram for the students, Facebook for the parents and guardians.
I will be entering the classroom for the next school year (I intentionally do not say "going back to the classroom" as that implies a demotion, which I consider a promotion!), I will be watching from afar as TBHS continues to "Level Up" and show the world what "Beamer Strong" looks like, sounds like and feels like.
Beyond Classrooms, Beyond Grades: Building the Village that Educates a Child
As a teacher, a curriculum leader, and a passionate advocate for holistic education, I believe the walls of our classrooms hold potential that extends far beyond academic achievement. We nurture young minds, yes, but within those minds reside hearts, hopes, and anxieties that crave understanding and support. This is where the true power of "building a village around each child" and the spirit of Ubuntu comes into play.
We cannot – and should not – attempt to navigate the complexities of a child's social-emotional and academic journey alone. Parents are, and always will be, the foundation of their child's world. It's within the family unit that values are instilled, confidence flourishes, and challenges are first encountered. But sometimes, that world needs a bridge to connect it to the one we create in schools.
This is where true partnership flourishes.When we, as educators, actively seek to build genuine connections with families, we foster an environment of trust, transparency, and shared responsibility. Regular communication transcends progress reports, becoming open dialogues about a child's strengths, struggles, and unique learning style. Parent-teacher conferences evolve into collaborative brainstorming sessions, where strategies are tailored to individual needs. School events become celebrations of a collective effort, not just academic milestones.
The benefits are undeniable. Research consistently shows that strong school-family partnerships lead to:
📈Improved academic performance
📈Enhanced social-emotional well-being
📈Increased motivation and engagement
📈Stronger sense of community within the school
🗣Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
But even the mightiest weapon needs a wielder who understands its nuances. By working in tandem with families, we equip children with the emotional intelligence, resilience, and academic skills they need to not only change their world, but thrive within it.
This is why the FP teachers at IVA Global School encourage, invite and celebrate with parents. We have termly in person play dates and "Family Fun Nights" (hosted online) to build rapport, relationships and to build those very important bridges.
💭What are your thoughts on building strong school-family partnerships? Share your experiences and ideas in the comments below!🗣
#education#socialemotionallearning#parentengagement#collaboration#villageeffect
Boston May 7, 2024
"Empowering Diversity: A Journey in Cultivating Inclusive High School Culture"
A distinguished school culture epitomizes effective classroom management led by proficient educators. It encompasses student-centered learning activities and a culturally enriched curriculum aimed at achieving practical objectives aligned with daily attainable goals. These lessons are learned both individually and collectively, shaping the class as a whole.
Public schools must no longer perpetuate systems that primarily benefit the culturally privileged middle class in urban settings. Instead, educating children necessitates an equitable playing field to empower and liberate the minds of future generations. Unfortunately, many school districts in Massachusetts still grapple with segregation in terms of equal opportunities and a philosophy that leaves some students behind.
These reflections stem from the experiences of a minority teacher-coach who has endured over 20 years in the public school system, grappling with feelings of alienation, humiliation, and discrimination in environments where one would expect camaraderie and understanding. Instances arise where school administrators prioritize factors that jeopardize the well-being of adolescents during their critical developmental stages.
These policies often lead to limited options post-graduation, funneling students towards low-paying jobs, community college, or military enlistment. This is not a coincidence but a deliberate marginalization of minority secondary learners in favor of high-reward programs preferred by select school staff. This perpetuates a culture of social disparities, maintaining a status quo that justifies high-paying positions while controlling gang violence within schools.
Dedicated and qualified teachers of color are often stigmatized and sidelined in favor of remote educators who may not fully grasp the needs of the students they serve. It is disheartening to witness systemic issues such as racism and social discrimination deeply rooted in our public school systems.
As educators, we observe the desperate need for support and guidance from administrators. Many Massachusetts school districts persist in offering limited resources to students due to contractual obligations, hindering academic development and personal growth.
To address these challenges, we must realign priorities and advocate for the creation of safe, inclusive, and conducive learning environments across all school districts in America. This necessitates a shift towards promoting social justice without racial biases, ensuring that teaching becomes a profession accessible to all, rather than a privilege reserved for a few.
Jean-Hosler Delcy M.Ed / MA DESE Professional Teaching Licensure
Forty-four percent of elementary school students attend schools other than their zone school, an increase of over four percent over the past four years. For high schools, “Students can apply to attend any high school program at any school.” About 75% of CPS families choose to send their students to a school outside their assigned zone; for Black families, the number climbs to a whopping 83%. The overwhelming majority of CPS families choose a public high school for their children not dictated by a CPS map.
PSA to all Chicago parents! School shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all cafeteria mystery meat situation. Your kids deserve options, and a new report from Public Agenda says most Chicagoans agree!
Here’s the scoop: 93% of high school students applied through GoCPS. That’s a huge vote for choice!
Why?
Because different kids learn in different ways. Maybe your child’s a tech whiz who needs a STEM magnet. Maybe they’re a budding musician yearning for a performing arts school.
Choice lets you find the perfect fit! But some folks want to limit options, making the school system blander than beige cafeteria walls. NO THANKS!
Let’s advocate for a system with options AND quality. Chicago Public Schools can be a buffet of educational opportunities, not a sad sack lunch. Choice is the secret sauce!
Every kid deserves the chance to thrive. Let’s make sure CPS offers the ingredients for their unique recipe for success.
#ChicagoSchoolChoice#BuffetNotBland#GoCPSGoals#QualityEducationForAll#EmpoweringParents#KidsDeserveOptions#STEMWizardsAndMusicMakers#PublicSchoolRevolution#LetsAdvocateTogether#ThrivingByChoicehttps://lnkd.in/e64evgnU
Pi Day and How the Liberty Partnerships Program Adds Value to the Educational Circle
The Liberty Partnerships Program is dedicated to providing comprehensive academic, emotional, and social support to students deemed at risk of dropping out of school. By fostering strong partnerships between schools and local community organizations, LPP aims to create supportive networks that guide students towards graduation and beyond.
One of the core strengths of the LPP is its collaborative approach. Recognizing that the challenges facing today’s students are multifaceted, the program works in harmony with school personnel to identify and address individual student needs. This partnership ensures that interventions are timely, targeted, and aligned with the school's curriculum and support services.
The LPP does not replace school support systems; rather, it enhances them. By providing additional resources and expertise, the program enables schools to extend their reach and impact. For example, LPP staff can offer specialized workshops, mentoring, and tutoring that complement classroom instruction, thereby reinforcing the educational foundation provided by teachers.
Moreover, the program recognizes the importance of holistic development. Beyond academic assistance, LPP offers social and emotional support, individual counseling, career counseling, and college readiness programs, addressing gaps that schools might struggle to fill alone due to resource constraints. This comprehensive approach ensures that students receive the support they need to navigate their educational journeys successfully.
The collaboration between schools and the Liberty Partnerships Program exemplifies how external programs can support and enhance the educational ecosystem. By working together, teachers, administrators, and LPP staff can create a unified front that champions student success.
As we celebrate Pi Day, let's also celebrate the partnerships that enrich our educational landscapes. When schools and community programs unite, the formula for student success becomes more complete. Just as π is essential to the world of mathematics, collaborative educational programs are essential to nurturing well-rounded, successful students.
Happy Pi Day, and here's to the continued success of our students through the power of partnership!
#PiDay#Collaborations#FollowLPP
I saw this post today, the day that was marked to close this chapter of my career. As I look ahead, I’m excited to learn that this past year, 14 of our 35 +/- elementary schools had 90% or more of their 3rd graders reading at or above grade level and/or made substantial gains in literacy! This is a HUGE accomplishment & I want to send a huge shout-out & congratulations to the leaders, teachers, & scholars!
I'm bringing closure to this moment of my professional journey, super proud of the many accomplishments that I was blessed to witness our district, staff, & scholars make during my tenure with APS. This includes:
1. 3-year record-breaking graduation rates. Achieving the highest overall & subgroup graduation rates in the district’s history & topping the state graduation rate for the 1st time in history!
2. 4% increase in students at or above proficient on the ELA Georgia Milestones Assessment in grades 3-5; a 5% increase in 3-5 Math; 2% increase ingrades 6-8 ELA & 3% in 6-8 Math.
3. 8% increase in the number of African American students taking AP courses.
4. Establishment of a Child Savings Account Program for all Title I kindergarteners entering APS schools each year, making Atlanta 1 of 4 cities in the nation with a program of this nature.
5. Creation of the district’s inaugural Strategic Equity Framework & Academic Return-on-Investment Framework forming the bedrock of equitable decision-making and resource allocation within the district.
6. Creation of a groundbreaking suite of Equity Indexes which supports district leaders in tracking and monitoring equity-focused metrics & inputs impacting student experiences and outcomes.
7. Creation of a formal process for assessing the equity impacts of high-leverage decisions & the creation of decision-making tools that support district staff with applying an equity lens to their decision-making & deliberation processes.
8. Launching of our "Leading Equitable Schools" & "Equity-In-Action Micro-Credentialing" Programs. Two leadership development programs for principals, principal supervisors, and teacher leaders aimed at centering equity in our schools and classrooms.
9. Creation of a cross-sector neighborhood data dashboard that measures collective efforts across various city agencies to revitalize neighborhoods and improve the quality of life within Atlanta communities.
10. Establishment of the Atlanta Public Schools’ Center for Equity & Social Justice, positioning APS as a national leader and model for addressing challenges to equity in education.
I am super proud of the work that we able to do during my time with the Atlanta Public Schools, and extremely grateful to Dr. Lisa Herring for entrusting me with this imperative!
I look forward to continuing the work of improving the educational experiences and outcomes of ALL children within my city (ATL), state (GA), & in our nation at-large. There is certainly more work to be done, and I look forward to doing my part! Stay tuned!
EARLY YEARS IS SERIOUS HOTCAKE
What do you look out for when searching for a good school?
The school's ambience? The school's uniform? Your child's potential class teacher? Their inclusion practices? Their early years section?
What?
Months ago I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion where we spoke about how educators need to collaborate to ensure that learning challenges are detected early enough, and support is provided.
We all agreed that early years practitioners are key to this.
And if there's one early years teacher I admire a lot, it is Stephanie Nnadi. That woman knows how to teach children.
She expresses herself so much with her pupils to the extent that learning is so much fun.
What about the way she liaises with parents of her pupils? Exceptional! Follow her, she's a go to person.
Now having a teacher as such for children in early years means that children with additional needs will not fall through the cracks. Challenges won't go undetected.
This also means that you will be informed about your child's learning challenges early enough and steps to take would be recommended.
Which is why whenever I am invited to conduct a needs assessment for a school that requires a learning support program, my prerequisite question surrounds the capacity of their early years section.
This is because the effectiveness of the early years section is directly proportional to the early detection of learning challenges.
Early detection means early intervention!
Strengthen your early years section, and build the capacity of your early years teachers.
It is very crucial.
I hope this helps.
To your success and that of your students,
#thelearningmentor
***
#lettertoeducators#educationmatters#specialeducation#inclusiveeducation#school#disabilityinclusion#EIE#diversityandinclusion#classroom#schoolmanagement#learningsupport#learning#learninganalytics#advisory#SDG4#sdgs2030#educationforall#TheLSSummit
📸 That is Stephanie Nnadi. If your children are dramatic, they will meet their match. 🤣
Misidentification in special education is a significant problem in the US. Brown and Black students are overrepresented in part because of educator mindsets and test bias. In a recent 'A Seat at the Table' webinar, panelists emphasized individualized support and data-driven engagement, and agreed that recognizing every student's strengths is key. Training and culturally relevant curricula can prevent over identification. Collaborative support systems, including parental involvement, are essential for student success.
#SpecialEducation#EducationalEquity#InclusiveEducation#StudentSuccess#TeacherTraining
Reflections on the direction of Gifted Education
A few weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the National Association For Gifted Children annual conference in Orlando. Over three days we heard from the most interesting researchers, thinkers and practitioners about a variety of issues that concern the field now. Here are my takeaways:
- The word 'gifted' to identify this group has collected lint, and a panel of esteemed experts debated whether to call them ' advanced learners' instead. Policy dollars are associated with the word 'gifted' but it also causes an emotional reaction in those on the outside. The tension between semantics, resource allocation and equity was real.
- Equity in gifted education remains a focal point for the work in the field. Talent Development, School wide enrichment and a continuum of services for all children were some ideas proposed to widen the net so that gifted students of color, underrepresented groups and impoverished communities have more access.
- Transformative Giftedness is a recent idea focused on gifted individuals who want to use their talents for transforming the world. It challenged me to think of what real world projects/ opportunities can I offer my students and teachers to make the world better. It fits well with the Design Thinking trends sweeping through the corporate world.
- Remixing is another interesting teacher trend. You can use it on templates in Adobe Express or in writing fanfiction about existing stories. The benefit is that children can build upon worlds they are already conversant with Pokemon or Fortnight or The Last Airbender, and create from there on.
- The wonderful president of NAGC #ShellaghGallagher presented on Aesthetic Scanning and using culturally diverse art to reveal advanced abilities. This further cements the trend of Visible Thinking as a core strategy for serving our bright students.
- Wordless Picture books, a passion of mine, continued to gain traction, as we explored ways of using these to provoke thinking in students across elementary, middle and high school.
- The most poignant presentation I heard was from Deb Douglas of Carpe Diem GT. She brought us the voices of 700 gifted students from across the country, asking teachers to meet their needs. They asked for school not to be boring; for adults and friends to reduce expectations from them and asked to be treated like children.
That idea stayed- Gifted children are children too. Children with a critical educational need, but children first.
#NAGC#giftededucation#equityineducation
