1. Department Updates
2. What's happening in our schools?
3. Native American Heritage Month
4. How will you celebrate your Fall Break?
   
5. Veterans Day
6. Transgender Day of Remembrance
7. Upcoming Events
8. Religious Holidays

How to Report Bullying, Harassment, & Other Forms of Victimization (Students)

We want all of our students to feel safe and supported. Harassment, bullying, hazing, and other forms of victimization are prohibited in the Iowa City Community School District. If you or someone you know has been victimized, you are encouraged to report the incident(s) in one of two ways:

• Report bullying, sexual harassment/assault, or a school safety concern anonymously by text:
• TEXT: @SAYIT
• TO: 833-769-0372
• Contact your school administration to file a complaint.

Please report as soon as possible.

Visit https://www.iowacityschools.org/SaySomething for more information.

To check out more from the Equity department, go to our webpage: https://www.iowacityschools.org/equity

Ten seventh and eighth-grade students sit in a circle on a cloudy, fall morning, all from different backgrounds and different friend groups. Each takes their turn introducing themselves, and it’s time to begin.

Every circle has a special talking piece–a smiling hot dog for today’s meeting–that indicates whose turn it is to speak. This allows for equity of voice among the group. Students take turns describing things such as foods or memories they associate with fall, their feelings as if they were a weather forecast and memories of family associated with the weather.

The goal of this meeting is to focus on creating community and relationships with other students through practicing vulnerability and empathy. This is a restorative justice circle.

Restorative justice is an evidence-based practice used to reduce suspensions, expulsions, and disciplinary referrals. Restorative justice focuses on building community, righting a wrong committed, and repairing harm done.

The goal is to place value on relationships and focus on repairing relations that have been broken.

“What you’re doing is building community so then there’s understanding… that everyone has value and worth,” said Brad Kelly, restorative justice coordinator.

To read more, click here.

Are you interested in volunteering your time to build relationships with our students? We are excited to share a new opportunity for community members to be involved in our schools and to build relationships with students.

The Community Cares Crew will be a new team of volunteers that will go into our buildings to exclusively be a positive influence for our students. The CCC will show up in the mornings and at dismissal to welcome our students into the building, and to see them off home, all the while celebrating them and showing them they are cared about and valued in their school.

If this sounds like something you'd like to be a part of, please follow the instructions on the flyer below, or reach out to Frederick Newell (newell.frederick@iowacityschools.org).

We are excited to share what our Community Cares Crew has been up to at our schools. Our Inclusion and Outreach Coordinator, Frederick Newell, has recruited members of the University of Iowa men's and women's basketball teams and players from the football team to come to our schools and speak with our students.

These amazing athletes have taken the time to go to Northwest Jr. High and South East Jr. High to greet students when they come into the building. After greeting all of our students in the morning, the UoI students met in small groups with students to answer questions.

We'd like to give a HUGE thank you and shout out to these athletes that volunteered their time to build relationships in our schools!

Pictured: Equity Coordinator Charita Martin, and Inclusion and Community Outreach Coordinator, Frederick Newell meet with South East Jr. High students and University of Iowa Athletes

Pictured: University of Iowa Football players with Inclusion and Community Outreach Coordinator Frederick Newell and Diversity and Equity Coach Priscilla Culp

Last month our former West High student and current Equity Advisory Committee member Dasia Taylor was featured in a book called Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, a collection of 100 stories of extraordinary young women who are changing the world.

We couldn't be prouder of Dasia and her fantastic work in STEM. As we've mentioned before, when Dasia was still in high school, she invented a new type of medical stitches made of beets that change colors when there is an infection in the tissue.

So many of our young students showed up to get their copy of Rebel Girls and to take part in games, a read-aloud, and a Q&A with Dasia. She even signed all of our books!

If you missed the signing, don't worry! Rebel Girls is available for purchase at your local bookstore, or online. And because of Dasia's generosity, our schools will get donated copies for our libraries!

Members of the Equity Team (Priscilla Culp and Andrea Jayne) and Garner Elementary School Principal Debbie Bennett showed their support for the ICCSD alum and patiently waited to get their own copies signed.

As our Winter Sports season approaches, we'd like to highlight the work that City High and the Little Hawk Wrestling program are doing to be more accessible and inclusive to our students.

Here is a message from City High School's Head Wrestling Coach, Corey Connell on why Diversity is important in wrestling:

Diversity is so important and I think one of the best places to see diversity in the world is wrestling. Wrestling is truly for everyBODY! Every size, age, race, gender and disability! I was born and raised in Iowa City going to Grant Wood, Southeast and City High. We do as much as we can to encourage diversity and inclusivity in all of our programs.

We have a boys and girls wrestling team. We have a MatPac Wrestling kids club for all ages. We enjoy having multiple races and religions on all levels. We have also had individuals with disabilities on our teams. Wrestling has made such a difference in my life and I want to see everyBODY get the chance to reap the benefits of this great sport!

- Corey Connell

Iowa City High School

Head Wrestling Coach

November is Native American Heritage Month, which honors and provides a platform for Native people to share their culture, traditions, and practices. The Iowa City Community School District would like to honor our Native American and Indigenous students, staff, families, and community members. and acknowledges the injustices this community has faced and faces.

Things to consider:

This is a time to celebrate the native people of this land and learn more about an amazing and rich culture. We'd urge you to keep in mind that there are many tribes with vastly different cultures and practices within the United States. Native Americans are not a monolith, and the resources shared here only provide a few examples of an extraordinary and diverse group of people.

Take a look at the University of Iowa Native American Council page to see what Tribal Nations had homelands in Iowa.

When did Native American Heritage Month start?

Native American Heritage Month was not always what it is today. In 1915 the first formal plan to create 'American Indian Day' was approved in the annual Congress of the American Indian Association meeting.

This proposal was successful, and the first American Indian Day was declared in May 1916. It wasn't until 1990 that a joint resolution approved by President George H. W. Bush named November National Native American Heritage Month.

Resources for Teachers and Students:

• Lesson Plan - Stereotypes and Tonto
• Decolonizing the Classroom: Teaching With Indigenous Comics
• Q&A: Native Knowledge 360°
  
• With and About: Inviting Contemporary American Indian Peoples Into the Classroom
  
• Native American Heritage Month Podcasts
• GLSEN - Native American Heritage Month Timeline Activity
• PBS: Native American Heritage Collection
• NEH - Lesson Plan: Not "Indians," Many Tribes: Native American Diversity

We've talked about Intersectionality before in previous issues, but for those newcomers, here is a good definition of the concept:

• Intersectionality - the theory that the overlap of various social identities, such as race, gender, sexuality, and class, contributes to the specific type of systemic oppression and discrimination experienced by an individual.

Why are we talking about this?

Everyone in the Iowa City Community School District brings many diverse experiences to the table, and people comprise so many unique identities that can affect those experiences.

In the video below, we get to hear stories from United States Military Veterans whose intersecting identities give them unique outlooks on their time serving, and the challenges and successes they faced in their careers.

As you watch, see how many identities you can spot, and think about how all the different layers of a person can shape how they move through the world. And then think about how intersectionality could show up in the classroom with our students and teachers.

Fall Break is just around the corner and there are a few things we want to talk about.

While Thanksgiving for some is a time of celebration, we must not forget that for many Native American and Indigenous individuals in our community, it is often a time of mourning or reflection on past generational trauma.

We urge everyone to take time during the fall break to learn more about Native American and Indigenous stories and history. A Racial Justice Guide to Thanksgiving is a comprehensive set of resources for educators, families, and students who would like to expand their knowledge and learn ways to celebrate holidays while also holding space for diversity and inclusivity.

However you plan to spend your time off school, we hope our ICCSD community has a safe, reflective, and thoughtful break that is full of love and understanding.

Here are a few articles that delve deeper into the perspectives of Native Americans and Indigenous peoples and how they experience Thanksgiving:

• The Thanksgiving Tale We Tell Is a Harmful Lie. As a Native American, I've Found a Better Way to Celebrate the Holiday - Time Magazine
• Do American Indians Celebrate Thanksgiving? - Smithsonian Magazine
• The History of Thanksgiving from the Native American Perspective - Native Hope
• Thanksgiving Through A Wider Lens - RTI International

November 11th is Veterans Day! This is a federal holiday in the U.S. in which we honor our military veterans and families. On this day, Iowa City Community School District would like to celebrate and thank all of our Veterans for their service.

To learn more about Veterans Day, check out these resources:

• Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs - History of Veterans Day
• National Education Association - Veterans Day in the Classroom
• 8 High School Veterans Day Activities and Lesson Plan Ideas
  

Sunday, November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance or International Transgender Day of Remembrance. On this day, we memorialize those who have been murdered because of transphobia and anti-trans violence.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, last year marked the deadliest year for transgender and gender non-conforming people in recorded history. At least 44 fatalities were recorded in 2020, and since 2013, at least 202 transgender and gender non-conforming individuals were victims of fatal violence in the U.S.

The district would like to wrap around our Trans and Non-binary community as we honor the lives lost, and work towards a brighter future.

Resources for Teachers, Students, and Parents:

• GLAAD - Trans Day of Remembrance
• PFLAG - Transgender Day of Remembrance 2021
• GSA Network Resources
• Human Rights Campaign - Transgender Day of Remembrance

This year we will acknowledge the various diverse cultures that are celebrated throughout the year. We understand that our calendar may not be all-inclusive, so if you are aware of any cultural holidays or months of observance that we should know about, feel free to reach out and let us know.

African American History Month (February)
National African American History Month in February celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made to American history in their struggles for freedom and equality and deepens our understanding of our Nation's history.

Women's History Month (March)
Women’s History Month honors and celebrates the struggles and achievements of American women throughout the history of the United States.

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)
Irish-American Heritage Month is a month to celebrate the contributions which Irish-Americans have made to the United States.

Jewish American Heritage Month (May)
Jewish American Heritage Month is a month to celebrate the contributions Jewish Americans have made to America since they first arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654.

Asian Pacific Heritage Month (May)

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is a month to celebrate the contributions Asian/Pacific Americans have made to American history, society and culture.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month (June)

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month commemorates the events of June 1969 and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for LGBTQ Americans.

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates and recognizes the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to American society and culture and honors five of our Central American neighbors who celebrate their Independence days in September.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October)
National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates the accomplishments in the workplace of persons with disabilities and reaffirms the commitment to ensuring equal employment opportunities to all citizens.

American Indian Heritage Month (November)
National American Indian Heritage Month celebrates and recognizes the accomplishments of the peoples who were the original inhabitants, explorers and settlers of the United States.

By Month

https://www.loc.gov/law/help/commemorative-observations/index.php

We'd love to give a big shout-out to all the holidays happening in November! If you celebrate any of these, we hope that you have an amazing day for yourself and your families!

• All Saints' Day - Tuesday, November 1st
• Samhain Ends - Tuesday, November 1st
  
• Día de los Muertos - Tuesday, November 1st
  
• All Souls' Day - Wednesday, November 2nd
• Qudrat (Power) - Friday, November 4th
• Kartik Poornima - Tuesday, November 8th
• Guru Nanak Birthday - Tuesday, November 8th
• Christ the King - Sunday, November 20th
• Qawl (Speech) - Wednesday, November 23rd
• Kinro Kansha No Hi - Wednesday, November 23rd
• Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bhadur Sahib - Thursday, November 24th
• Day of the Covenant - Saturday, November 26th
• Advent (First Day) - Sunday, November 27th
• Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá - Monday, November 28th
• St. Andrew's Day - Wednesday, November 30th
• Navajo Night Chant Ceremony - November
• Hopi Wuwuchim Ceremony - November
• Zuni, Shalako Ceremony - November

Non-Discrimination Policy

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Eric Howard, Director of Equity & Employee Relations

Email: howard.eric@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/domain/64
Location: 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245
Phone: (319) 688-1000