1. Department Updates
2. Bullying Prevention
3. Filipino American History Month
4. German American Day
5. LGBTQ+ History
6. Indigenous People's Day
7. Italian American Heritage Month
8. National Disability Employment Awareness Month
9. Polish American Heritage Month
10. Upcoming Events
11. Religious Holidays

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

This year the Equity department is excited to offer PD Opportunities for our staff throughout the year! We will cover a variety of topics such as:

• Intro to Restorative Practices
• Seeing Beyond the Behavior
• Cultural Proficiency Overview
• LGBTQ Allyship

If you work at the Iowa City Community School District and are interested in participating in any of these offerings, contact your building administrator for more information.

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).

Our Restorative Justice Team is pleased to announce monthly training/offerings to expand educators' restorative lenses. These offerings begin in October 2022 through May 2023. For more information see the above section, "PD Opportunities" or talk to your building admin.

The RJ Team is also looking for pictures or testimonials highlighting some of the awesome restorative work happening in the ICCSD schools. Please send any photos, videos, or written testimonials to kelly.brad@iowacityschools.org or jayne.andrea@iowacityschools.org

Also, check out our RJ request form:

Restorative Practices Request Form

It will send your requests for RJ support directly to the RJ Team for review and planning.

All of this information can also be found on our new Restorative Practices page of the district website. This page will become the resource for ALL things RJ. Check it out at: https://www.iowacityschools.org/RestorativeJustice

Our RJ Team would like to give a big thanks to Ms. Molly and her enthusiastic and artistic preschool class at Mann Elementary!

These special kids showed real community-building skills as they invited our RJ Coordinator Brad Kelly to come to spend time coloring with them. They spent the morning activity time drawing, sharing having a great time.

Mr. Kelly stated that "It was AWESOME to witness how young people collaborate and start their day!"

Take a look at some of their artwork!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. During this month the Iowa City Community School District would like to raise awareness, and give some resources to teachers, families, and most especially our students to prevent bullying.

National Bullying Prevention Month was founded by The PACER Center back in 2006, and the movement has grown every year. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019 report put out by U.S Department of Education, about 20% of students ages 12-18 reported being bullied. Students who are bullied at school have increased risk of depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and are more likely to drop out of school.

In the same National Report, research showed that school-based bullying prevention programs could decrease bullying by up to 20%. That is why it is so important to have this month long observance to raise awareness about different strategies for bullying prevention.

What do we mean when we talk about bullying?

Types of Bullying – Taken from www.stopbullying.gov

Verbal - speaking or writing mean things.

• Teasing
• Name-calling
• Inappropriate sexual comments
• Taunting
• Threatening to cause harm

Social bullying (Relational bullying) - hurting someone’s reputation or relationships

• Leaving someone out on purpose
• Telling other children not to be friends with someone
• Spreading rumors about someone
• Embarrassing someone in public

Physical bullying - hurting a person’s body or possessions

• Hitting/kicking/pinching
• Spitting
• Tripping/pushing
• Taking or breaking someone’s things
• Making mean or rude hand gestures

Click here to view the Iowa Department of Education Anti-Bullying/Anti-Harassment resources.

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.

What Is Bullying?

According to Iowa Safe Schools and the Department of Education:

Bullying/harassment is "Any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward a student based on the individual's actual or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socio-economic status, or familial status, and which creates an objectively hostile school environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:

1. Places the student in reasonable fear of harm to the person or their property
2. Has a substantial detrimental effect on the student's physical or mental health
3. Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's academic performance
4. Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school"

Conflict is not bullying.

Conflict is "A disagreement or antagonism between two or more people. All parties involved have some responsibility in the encounter. It is not bullying when two or more kids with no perceived power imbalance fight, have an argument or disagree."

Want to Reach Out to Someone Directly?

Students: Contact Charita Martin, Equity Coordinator. Email Charita or call (319) 688-1000.

Staff: Contact Eric Howard, Director of Equity and Employee Relations. Email Eric or call (319) 688-1000.

If you are unsure how to proceed or would like to discuss your options, you may contact Janet Abejo-Parker, Ombuds, at ombuds@iowacityschools.org or (319) 688-1312.

Click here to view our district procedures for reporting bullying or harassment

https://www.iowacityschools.org/SaySomething

October is Filipino American History Month! During this month, we celebrate the history, experiences, and lives of Filipino Americans and their impact.

The Filipino American National Historical Society helped to champion the creation of this month-long observance, and October was chosen specifically, because it marks the first recorded date of Filipinos arriving in the U.S at the present-day Morro Bay, California way back in 1587! Filipino Americans make up approximately 1.5% (~4 million) of the U.S population.

So this month we encourage everyone to learn more about Filipino history, and honor Filipino-Americans in our ICCSD Community!

For Teachers:

Want to incorporate Filipino American History into your curriculum this October? Here are some classroom resources to help you learn about Filipino history and the contributions that Filipino Americans have made to our society.

• Carlos Villa Teacher Packet with resources and lesson plans
  
• Leo Valledor Teacher Packet with resources and lesson plans
  
• Open-Ended Social Studies - Some Ideas for Teaching about the Philippines
  
  

October 6th is German-American Day where we celebrate all those in our community who have German heritage and ancestry!

There are approximately 50 million Americans that have German ancestry. That's around 17% of the total population!

History of German American Day:

This day commemorates the founding of Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1683. The day was originally celebrated in the 19th century, but celebrations stopped after World War I when there was a lot of anti-German sentiment.

Then, in 1983, President Ronald Reagan made a proclamation naming October 6th German American Day to celebrate the 300th anniversary of German American immigration. Later in 1987 through a joint resolution, it was made an official day of observance by congress.

German Americans have had a huge impact on society, contributing greatly to car manufacturing, building churches, and the arts.

In Iowa:

If you want to experience more German Culture while staying in the Iowa City area, you can travel down the road to the Amana Colonies. These are a group of seven villages built by German Pietists. You can check out local cafes, restaurants, butchers, art shops and more!

Learn more about German American Heritage:

• National German-American Society
• German Culture
• The Heinz History Center - Celebrating National German American Day

October 10th is Indigenous Peoples' Day. This holiday celebrates and honors Native American peoples and their histories and cultures. Indigenous Peoples' Day was officially adopted by Iowa City in 2017, as well as Johnson County. Then later in 2018, the entire State of Iowa adopted this holiday, and a proclamation was signed by the governor.

It wasn't until October 8th, 2021 that President Joe Biden formally recognized the holiday, becoming the first U.S. President to do so.

Indigenous Peoples' Day got its beginnings in 1990 when the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas (sponsored by the United Nations) began to discuss replacing Columbus Day in the U.S.

We want to celebrate and wrap around all Indigenous Peoples' in our community, and lift up their stories and histories. To learn more about Indigenous Peoples Day and it's relation to Columbus day, click here.

Resources to consider for your classrooms:

• 5 Young Native Americans On What Indigenous Peoples' Day Means To Them - NYT
• Teaching About the Taínos, Columbus, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day in a Middle School English Language Learners Classroom - Teaching For Change
  
• Teaching About Indigenous Peoples' Day - Educators 4 Social Change

• Five Ideas for Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2022 - Smithsonian Magazine
  

October is Italian American Heritage Month! This month we want to show our support to all of our Italian American ICCSD family and community!

Italian American Heritage Month was first celebrated in 1989 when President George H.W. Bush made an official proclamation.

Almost 5.5 Million Italians came to the U.S. between 1820 and 2004, and large Italian American communities all over the United States exist to this day. According to the U.S. Census, there are over 15 million Americans of Italian descent in the U.S. and in Iowa, about 2.1% of the population claims Italian descent!

Italian-Americans have had a unique cultural journey in the United States. They have faced discrimination and isolation, and have made a point to preserve their history and share their culture with the country. Even now, there are harmful stereotypes for Italian Americans such as ties to organized crime and violence.

Italian-American Heritage Month can help to educate about Italian-American culture and share the beautiful traditions and histories of this group of people.

Resources for your classrooms:

• 8 Great Books for Kids for National Italian American Heritage Month
• Italian Heritage Month - Heinz History Center
• 5 Ways to Research Your Italian Heritage Without Leaving Home - New York Public Library
• Celebrating Italian-American Heritage Month - New York Public Library

In October we celebrate and observe LGBTQ+ History, and honor our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, non-binary and queer communities. While June is all about Pride, October is about education into the history of the LGBTQ community, and the struggles and successes they've had up to this point.

Why October?

LGBTQ+ History Month is celebrated in October to coincide with National Coming Out day celebrated on October 11th, and another major day of observance this month is October 19th - International Pronouns Day. October was also when the first and second marches on Washington happened, in 1979, and 1987 for LGBT rights.

National Coming Out Day Resources

• Coming Out: A Handbook for LGBTQ Young People - The Trevor Project
• Coming Out - GLSEN
• Celebrate National Coming Out Day with HRC! - Human Rights Campaign
  

International Pronouns Day Resources

• International Pronouns Day Resources - Pronounsday.org
  
• Celebrating Our Community this International Pronouns Day - Human Rights Campaign
  
• Pronoun Handouts - ICCSD

More Resources

• LGBTQ+ Book list for children, YA, and educators - Social Justice Books
• LGBTQ History - GLSEN
• LGBTQ History Cards and Activities - GLSEN

October is a time to educate about National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM). During this month we celebrate the contributions of America's workers with disabilities.

The effort to educate the public about issues related to disability and employment started back in 1945 when Public Law 176 was enacted. This law ensured a week-long observance for Disability Employment, and 25 years later, after a few changes to the language, the week was expanded to an entire month.

This law came right as thousands of wounded American soldiers returned home from World War II and re-entered the workforce. The scope of the law broadened in the last few decades to include people with all types of disabilities. However, even with a month-long observance dedicated to this population, there are still barriers people with disabilities face every day in the workforce. For instance, among working-age people who are blind, almost 70% are not currently employed.

What can we do?

There are many ways organizations and employers can create a more accessible environment for their employees. eChalk gives 6 easy ways for teachers and educators to make their websites/pages more accessible.

Iowa City School District has made important steps to ensure that all of our employees get the accommodations they need. We strive to follow ADA and WCAG guidelines on web accessibility. You may have noticed in the past few years we have transitioned exclusively to Smore for our newsletters because of their accessibility features.

Web accessibility is the inclusive practice of removing barriers that prevent people with disabilities from doing what they need to do online. Accessibility for our employees, students, and families is a major priority for the district, and we will continue to improve every year.

If you are in need of Employee Accommodations within the Iowa City Community School District, click here.

If you'd like to know more or have questions about how to make your website accessible, take a look at our Webmaster page, or contact our Webmaster, Emily Archer (archer.emily@iowacityschools.org)

Resources:

• National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2022 - Office of Disability Employment Policy

• Employment Awareness Month - What can YOU do? The Campaign for Disability Employment
• Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month - National Industries for the Blind
  

October is Polish American Heritage Month where we celebrate all those in our ICCSD community with Polish heritage!

October commemorates the first Polish colonizers in the U.S. and also the deaths of General Kazimierz Pułaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko (military leaders who fought in the American Revolution). Today there are about 8.2 million Americans that self-identify as Polish. In Iowa, we have over 40,000 people who identify as Polish or claim Polish ancestry.

From The American Presidency Project, Proclamation 5548—Polish American Heritage Month, 1986:

“In October, we celebrate Polish American Heritage Month in the United States. Our Nation owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to the millions of freedom-loving Poles who have come to our shores to build a new land. Polish Americans can be justly proud of the vital contributions people of Polish descent have made to our Nation in the arts, the sciences, religion, scholarship, and every area of endeavor."

There are many things you can do this month to celebrate Polish Heritage. Check out some of our resources below:

• Polish American Heritage Month Press Information Packet 2022 - Polish American Center
  
• Recommended Reading List - Polish American Heritage and Community Foundation
• Museum Virtual Tour - The Polish Museum of America
• Polish American Historical Society

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.

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

• Mehregan - Sunday, October 2nd
• Navaratri ends/Maha Navami - Tuesday, October 4th
• St. Francis Day - Tuesday, October 4th
• Dusshera - Wednesday, October 5th
• Yom Kippur - Wednesday, October 5th
• Milad un Nabi/Mawlid - Saturday, October 8th
• Sharad Purnima - Sunday, October 9th
• Sukkot Starts - Sunday, October 9th
• Hoshanah Rabbah - Sunday, October 16th
• Sukkot Ends - Sunday, October 16th
• ‘Ilm (Knowledge), Sunday, October 16th
• Shmini Atzeret - Monday, October 17th
• Simchat Torah - Tuesday, October 18th
• Luke, Apostle & Evangelist - Tuesday, October 18th
• Birth of the Guru Granth - Thursday, October 20th
• Dhan Teras - Saturday, October 22nd
• Diwali - Monday, October 24th
• Bhai Dooj - Wednesday, October 26th
• The Birth of the Báb - Wednesday, October 26th
  
• The Birth of Bahá’u’lláh - Thursday, October 27th
  
• Chhath Puja - Sunday, October 30th
• Karwa Chauth - Thursday, October 13th
• All Hallows Eve - Monday, October 31st
• Samhain - Monday, October 31st
• Reformation Day - Monday, October 31st

Email: gray.laura@iowacityschools.org
Website: iowacityschools.org/equity
Location: 1725 North Dodge Street, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1000

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

Email: dillon.luke@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/equity
Location: 1725 North Dodge Street, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1000

Email: martin.charita@iowacityschools.org
Website: iowacityschools.org/equity
Location: 1725 North Dodge Street, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1000

Email: kelly.brad@iowacityschools.org
Website: iowacityschools.org/equity
Location: 1725 North Dodge Street, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1000

Email: Culp.Priscilla@iowacityschools.org
Website: iowacityschools.org/Equity
Location: 1725 Dodge St Ct, Iowa City, Iowa 52245, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1000

Email: newell.frederick@iowacityschools.org
Website: iowacityschools.org/equity
Location: 1725 North Dodge Street, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1000

Email: jayne.andrea@iowacityschools.org
Website: iowacityschools.org/equity
Location: 1725 North Dodge Street, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1000

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