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E&I Newsletter
Winter 2024
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Alyssa Bartosh is the newest addition to the Equity and Inclusion team! Her experience and work in equity has spanned over 20 years in District 196 will be helpful in her position as the Coordinator of Equity and Inclusion. Click here to read more.
Alyssa Bartosh, along with the Equity and Inclusion Department in conjunction with the Teaching and Learning Department, will continue to support the 2023-2026 Achievement and Integration Plan.
The purpose of the Achievement and Integration Plan is to:
- Pursue racial and economic integration,
- Increase student achievement,
- Create equitable educational opportunities, and
- Reduce academic disparities based on students' diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds.
The Minnesota Department of Education has classified District 196 as a “racially isolated district” that has three “racially identifiable schools” - Echo Park Elementary School of Leadership, Engineering and Technology, Cedar Park Elementary STEM School, and Oak Ridge Elementary School of Leadership, Environmental and Health Sciences. Keep scrolling to learn how the E&I team have been working to achieve the goals written in the Achievement and Integration Plan.
The percentage of teachers of color will increase from 5% in 2023-24 to 8% in 2025-26.
- Virgil Jones continues to lead the Leaders of Color (LoC), an administrators racial group with weekly meetings. The LoC seek solutions to situations, discuss articles, and provide support for one another.
- Yen Huynh-Vue continues to be a liaison for the Affinity Unite, a racial affinity group established by teachers of color for licensed and non-licensed staff of color in District 196. Through the E&I Department, she provides guidance, assists in data collection, and provides financial support as needed so educators of color may have a space for support, connections, and networking at their monthly meetings.
Expand partnerships for student teaching
- District 196 has signed a student teaching contract with Metropolitan State University so more of their students will be student teaching in the district.
Recruitment Fairs and Cohort Recruitment
- The Director of Equity and Inclusion has participated in virtual recruitment fairs.
Equity Professional Development
- The E&I Department has been providing AMAZEWorks equity professional learning districtwide for licensed and unlicensed staff. This is the second year AMAZEWorks has supported District 196. To date, 82 workshops have been provided.
All school sites have completed the Anti-Bias Education Workshop.
All elementary schools and 95% of the middle schools and high schools have completed the Microaggressions 1 Workshop.
50% of K-12 schools have completed the Microaggressions 2 Workshop.
- The E&I Department has provided monthly equity professional development opportunities to the Teachers of Color Mentorship Program. View their February Newsletter.
GYO Pathways to Teaching for adults and students
- The E&I Department has been supporting the first cohort of the Grow Your Own - Adult Pathways Program since July 1, 2023. They are in the process of recruiting the second cohort who will begin in the 2024-2025 school year. For more information, view the GYO webpage: www.district196.org/GYO.
The percentage of AVID students enrolled in Honors/AP/PSEO/CIS coursework earning a C or higher will increase 3% each school year starting in 2023.
AVID Program Expansion, Fidelity, and Goals
AVID Trained Staff: During the summer of 2023, the E&I Department sent 36 staff members to AVID Summer Institute. The goal is to send another 40 staff members to this valuable training during the summer of 2024. A recent study, found here, suggest that AVID professional learning exhibits multiple characteristics of effectiveness and correlates with increases in reported teacher and student engagement which result in more effective, dynamic learning experiences for students.
AVID programming has grown! During the 2023-24 school year, Valley Middle School of STEM has become part of the AVID family, which means there are eight secondary sites in District 196. Currently, there are 28 AVID Elective courses across these 8 sites, serving over 700 students.
Expanding District Services for Post-Secondary
- AVID College Visits: High School AVID students have been going on college visits throughout the year, increasing access to understanding and exploring post-secondary options. Each high school will complete at least two college visits during the 2023-24 school year.
FAFSA Night for Somali Families
ActioNow Black History Month Celebration
FAFSA Night for Latino Families
The percentage of Cultural Family Advocates who will be trained in Check and Connect will increase by 5% each year starting in 2023.
CFA Support to Students and Families
- The Cultural Family Advocates (CFA) serve as a bridge between school, culturally and ethnically diverse students and families to increase awareness and participation for academic and social growth, while keeping their own sense of cultural identity. Go to the CFA webpage to learn more.
CFA Host Cultural & Informational Events
- CFA host many events throughout the school year. Some recent events include Tech Night for Somali families and ActioNow to celebrate Black History Month. The Latino CFA team partnered with Inver Hills Community College and an Admissions representative to assist families with their FAFSA and MN Dream Act Applications at their FAFSA Night on February 15, 2024.
CFA-Student Check & Connect
- Check & Connect is an evidence-based intervention designed for K-12 students displaying warning signs of disengagement from school and those at risk of dropping out. The program is built on four core components:
- Mentorship - Connecting students with a caring mentor to provide guidance and support.
- “Check” - Regularly assessing and monitoring students' progress and engagement.
- “Connect” - Establishing a strong connection between mentors, students, and school staff.
- Family Engagement - Involving families in the student's educational journey for comprehensive support.
- Teams of Cultural Family Advocates have embarked on a soft implementation, with full implementation slated to begin during trimester 3.
Cultural Family Advocate Appreciation Week
March 11, 2024-March 15, 2024
The Cultural Family Advocates (CFA) work with District 196 culturally and linguistically diverse students and families through collaboration with districtwide staff to support their academic, social and cultural development. The Equity and Inclusion Department have three teams of CFAs, they are:
Five Black and African American CFAs:
- Tyson Coleman, Jennifer Ernst, Justin Henry, Derielle Larry, Rashelle Redmon
Six Latino and Spanish-Speaking CFAs:
- Milca Dominguez, Josefa Gaona-Pacheco, Daniel Mancera, Aldie Meynard, Clara Montbriand, Veronica Ramos
Five Somali, African and Middle Eastern CFAs:
- Hodan Farah, Nimo Gedi, Nasrin Haji, Ahmed Ibrahim, Kadra Warsame
CFA Appreciation Week is a time to acknowledge the many supports they provide for District 196.
Go to the Equity and Inclusion Webpage: www.district196.org/equity.