The Essential

Happy June DDSD!

As we creep towards the end of the year, we in the DEI department would like to extend our gratitude. Thank you for all the hard work that you have put into this year! Our district is a better place because of the hard work that our educators put into it.

This month we are highlighting Pride Month and Juneteenth in the month of June. See below for reading opportunities and resources for the classroom around those celebrations.

This is the final edition of the essential for the school year. Thank you so much for taking the time reading this year!

Every month, we will highlight the cultural and identity based celebrations that are celebrated nationally within each month. However, it is important to state that people who hold the identities that we are celebrating should not only be celebrated one month out of the year. We choose to celebrate the diversity of often marginalized groups because their histories and stories historically have been left out. There are many people who hold these identities within our community, students and staff, who deserve to see themselves in the work we do. We move forward with these celebrations encouraging a continuing visibility, representation, and celebration of the groups we highlight.

In June, we celebrate and recognize Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history; locally, nationally, and internationally.

The Stonewall Riots occurred due to a raid by New York City police on the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village on June 28th, 1969. Angered by police harassment and social discrimination, the events of June 28th sparked six days of protests and galvanized the gay rights movement. America’s first gay pride parade was held on the one-year anniversary of the riots.

Pride Month was first recognized in 1994 when a coalition of education-based organizations in the United States designated October as LGBT History Month. The federal government first recognized the month in 1999 when President Bill Clinton declared June “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.” In 2009, President Barack Obama declared June LGBT Pride Month. On 1 June 2021, President Joe Biden declared June LGBTQ Pride Month.

Juneteenth is the oldest internationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.

Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or none of these versions could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln’s authority over the rebellious states was in question. Whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory.

There are a lot of violent and traumatizing events occurring in our world currently. Not only are these events confusing, heart wrenching, and/or upsetting to adults, but all of our students are also trying to navigate these things as well. We want to provide some resources around having conversations or supporting students through challenging topics:

• ODE Mental Health Guidance
• Helping Your Students Cope With a Violent World
• How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War
• Talking to Your Kids About War

It is the week before high school graduation and Ms. Wood’s K-12 Education Class is buzzing with energy. The class is part of the DDHS Career and Technical Education (CTE) education program, which provides students with dual credit through Mt. Hood Community College, as well as an internship experience in an elementary, middle, or high school classroom. It is also one of the ways that the Grow Your Own program connects with high school students who are interested in becoming educators and working in our district upon graduation.

The students, all graduating seniors, are completing their final assignment: a reflection on the year, the class, and their experience as classroom interns. As students munch on donuts and chat amongst themselves, Ms. Wood gets their attention and asks them to share their reflections.

Ariana Cardoza starts by remembering that at the beginning of the school year, she wanted to see firsthand how her own experience as an elementary student compared to that of kids in elementary classrooms today. “I definitely got to see that as an intern this year! The expectations are a lot different now and the curriculum is a lot bigger.” Emily Henderson shares that ever since elementary school, she knew that she wanted to be a teacher, but her internship allowed her “to experience what it would actually be like.” She is now planning to work in the high school’s 9th Grade Counts summer program and will start a music education program at Portland State University in the Fall. Similarly, the class reinforced Mikaiah Hill’s desire to pursue education as a career: “It helped build my confidence as a person… I didn’t want to have doubts in my mind about teaching. I wanted to become more comfortable and certain that this is what I wanted to do. I got that.”

When asked what advice they would give to next year’s K-12 Education students, both Owen Dye and Leah Simpson encouraged them “to get out of their comfort zone.” This could entail getting in front of a class full of elementary, middle, or high school students and leading a lesson while the teacher steps out. Indeed, Savannah urged future students to take advantage of their internship: “Ask your teacher to let you make lesson plans or lead a book study group. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas.”

Above all, they encouraged next year’s K-12 education class to focus on the relationships that they will develop with the students in their internship and with each other. “Enjoy your peers' presence,” says Kaitlyn Borreson, “I really appreciated the community aspect of this class. It was something I wasn’t expecting.” In that vein, Emil Martinez Santoyo smiles as they remember how their students greeted them every time they arrived at their internship: “They get so excited to see you!” With similar enthusiasm we salute and congratulate the K-12 Education Class of 2024! May you continue on your educational pathway with love, joy, and a commitment to excellence. Know that the David Douglas School District and Grow Your Own Program will be here when you are ready to return as educators!

On May 3rd, Floyd Light Middle school had their annual Multicultural Night. Watch this video to see how Floyd Light celebrated diversity in our community!

Imagine a space where students are laughing, having conversations about their day, crafting, and experiencing authentic joy. This space is not a figure imagination, it is the very real environment of the Pride Club at Ron Russell Middle School. This is an after school club run by Valerie Stancliffe, Lacy Williams, and Alex Cruickshank. The club started out small last year and has continued to grow. "They're a pretty fun group," stated Stancliffe during their last meeting.

Not only was this a fun space, but it was a space where students were experiencing true joy within their queer identities. At the meeting I went to, students were finishing the sentence "I am proud of..." on a piece of paper in order to be featured in the school's Pride month display (featured above!). It was apparent that students felt safe and accepted in this environment. Stancliffe, Williams, and Cruickshank have created a space where queer students can be themselves. Thank you so much for creating a safe place for students!

The State School Board created the Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy (OSSB) to recognize and value the native languages students speak and bring to their English academic studies, to value language programs in schools, and to encourage students in the study of languages. This award recognizes student proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in two or more languages.

This year, David Douglas High School tested over 120 students for language proficiency, awarding over 200 credits in Fine Art and Elective credits toward graduation and college admission. Of these students, 10 graduating seniors have qualified and will be receiving the Seal of Biliteracy.

On June 4th, West Powellhurst's Black Student Union and Latinx Student Union had a combined final meeting. The students were laughing, sharing in community, and being their authentic selves. Wonderful job Camille Taylor, Mel Borbon-Tabarez, and Carrie Harris for creating this space for WP 5th graders!

On May 23rd, our District's BIPOC affinity group got together and went bowling at KingPins. This was our final event of the year! We were so grateful to come together as a community for one final time this school year.

During May 20th-24th David Douglas High School had their second annual Unite Week. During this week, the high school had events every day to celebrate the diversity of the school and unite everyone together. There was a nigh show, a staff vs. senior volleyball game, an assembly, an international bite and Unified Kickball tournament and a color run. It was a wonderful representation of the diversity at the high school.

June 1-30 Pride Month (International)

June 12 Loving Day (United States)

June 12 Philippine Independence Day (Filipino)

June 14-19 Hajj (Islamic)

June 15-16 Eid-ul-Adha (Islamic)

June 19 Juneteenth (African American)

June 20 Summer Solstice/Litha (Neo-Pagan)

Are you doing something wonderful in your classroom, building, or in the wider community that has to do with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? Are you super proud of an engagement strategy, a lesson, or a community bulletin board that you’ve created? Do you see someone else doing something wonderful and want to shout them out? The equity departments want to hear from you! Every month, we’ll be highlighting a few educators and staff members who are doing wonderful work. We know that there is wonderful work being done out there, and we would love to hear from you and share! To submit something, or invite one of us to your classroom or space, please email gabie_mbenza-ngoma@ddsd40.org.