1. Department Updates
2. What's happening in May?
3. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
4. Jewish American Heritage Month
5. Mental Health Awareness Month
6. Haitian Heritage Month
7. Happy Cinco de Mayo
8. What's Coming Up Next?
9. Upcoming Events
10. Happy Holidays!

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

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.

Our team has had the pleasure of working with some awesome students at Lemme Elementary this month. These young people showed up and participated in a circle to talk about their thoughts and concerns regarding new Iowa legislative changes, and the uncertainty they feel going into the next school year.

Through Restorative Practices, these courageous students were able to speak their truths and communicate their needs in a safe environment. Our team is now excited to connect students to supports and other groups such as Justice League as we continue to build community together!

We thank all the wonderful folks at Lemme for welcoming us into their building, and are committed to supporting their students and families.

Community Cares is finishing the year off strong! Our University of Iowa Athletes have spent this year traveling to our schools to spend time with students. Community Cares members were able to make connections with students in many ways. Whether it was welcoming students to the building at the beginning of the day, eating lunch, playing at recess, and holding Q&As for students about Highschool, College, Athletics and anything else!

This month Community Cares were able to make it to Shimek, Weber and Garner!

The Community Cares athletes that showed up to Garner this month we're in for a special treat where they got to practices signing autographs, as almost every student rushed to grab anything and everything that a pen could write on. Our favorite autograph was on a plastic spoon, which we were informed will never be thrown out by the student and she will have it forever!

Community Cares has grown into something incredible for our district, and the connections that have been built with students and staff in our buildings is invaluable!

Next year we hope to keep adding to the program, and recruiting more Community Cares members!

Community Cares meets with Garner students out in the sunshine as they eat lunch.

UoI Athletes were asked for autographs by excited Garner students!

ICCSD hosted its second Girls of Color Enrichment Day with Interim Area Superintendent Stephanie Patton from Columbus City Ohio. Stephanie Patton was able to engage with principals, support staff, students, community members and organizations from our extended school community as we focused on ways to improve our educational school environments and continued to uplift our students of color to continue to be leaders within our school community.

The growth for our students and staff was invaluable as we engaged in discussion to continue to work toward our district goals to create better outcomes for our students of color and strive for ways to improve our culture and climate within our educational community.

Stephanie Patton is currently serving as Interim Area Superintendent for Columbus City Schools. Stephanie has been in education for over 30 years, 21 of those years serving in an administrative role. Her approach to education is reshaping how students learn, lead, and leverage their voice. She was featured in the film PUSHOUT – The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools for her widely respected transformative leadership.

Stephanie has also worked for the Ohio Department of Education as a turnaround specialist where she transformed low-performing schools into high performing. She received her Bachelor’s from The Ohio State University, a Master’s Degree from Xavier University, and is currently pursuing her doctorate from Concordia University in Educational Leadership.

To learn more about PUSHOUT, click here.

Congratulations to the young ladies from City High School for winning the TikTok dance off! Three groups of students (pictured above) were given the task of choreographing a dance and performing it to the larger group. All three performances were AMAZING, but this time City High took the lead.

We can't wait for the rematch!

This year we were so excited to resume our annual trip to the LGBTQ Youth Governor's Conference! The district was able to bring almost 30 students to the conference where they were able to meet other students from across the state, attend engaging workshops, and build community with one another.

The importance of providing these experiences for our LGBTQ Youth, as well as validating and supporting them, cannot be overstated. Now, more than ever, we need to wrap our students in support, and create safe environments for them to be their authentic selves and thrive.

We can't wait to do it all again next year!

*Regarding the 2023 Iowa Legislative Session, we do not have all the answers yet about how incoming bills will or will not affect the policies and procedures of our district. We are committed to doing everything we can to support our LGBTQ students, staff and community.

Additional District Supports include but are not limited to:

• ICCSD LGBTQ Resources - Iowa City Community School District

• ICCSD Student Support and Wellness - Iowa City Community School District

It is our shared responsibility to ensure every member of our school community is valued and respected regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation. We encourage our students, staff, and members of the community to celebrate the inclusiveness and diversity that contribute to the growth, success, safety, and quality of life of everyone in the Iowa City Community School District.

The SPARK team at United Action for Youth has begun registration for our high school adventures taking place this summer. In case we haven’t met or you are new to SPARK: we provide outdoor and recreational activities for grades 6-12 in the Iowa City area, with a focus on reaching populations who often face barriers to these kinds of experiences (e.g. youth of color, low income, LGBTQ+, and/or teens that are lacking positive peer + adult contact.) You can read more about our program here: https://www.unitedactionforyouth.org/spark

Adventures offered: There are currently five summer adventures youth can register for, as well as our annual Yellow River Backpacking Trip, which will be held over fall break this year. Please see the attached .pdf for information about each excursion.

Age range: These trips are intended for students currently in grades 9-12. (We are totally cool with graduating seniors taking part if it will be a valuable experience for them as they launch into their futures!)

Cost and transportation: All SPARK programming is free, and we provide transportation.

How to register: We have an online registration link that includes all of the health, safety, and liability waiver info we need on our end. We will work with registered families to collect any additional waivers needed when we get closer to the program dates. Youth and their parent/guardian will select as many of the trips as they’d like from the checklist on the form. This form must be filled out by or with a parent/guardian for any youth under age 18. The digital form is preferred, but we have attached a paper version to this email in case you are working with a teen or family who does better with paper registration.

• Online registration link: https://form.jotform.com/230716705567157

On May 9, ICCSD students who've been taking African American Lit this year at City, Liberty, Tate, and West gathered in West's Little Theatre for a morning of celebration and amplification of Black performing artists in our community.

This "Feel The Music" festival provided an arts-based enrichment experience for our students where they participated by introducing artists prior to each performance and by engaging with them one on one at the end of the morning. The experience was particularly enlightening to many students because of the Iowa City connection.

"Camp” of Mathematical Queeries is a five week virtual mathematics enrichment program for LGBTQ+ students entering grades 9-12. The enrichment is designed to tap into the rich funds of knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community and to provide a space in which LGBTQ+ and mathematical identity are affirmed as interconnected entities, central to the teaching and learning of mathematics, in particular.

To learn more, or register for this program, click here

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (Formerly known as Asian/Pacific Heritage Month). During this month, we want to wrap around our students, family, and staff to embrace and recognize the contributions and experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans and celebrate their culture, history, traditions, and achievements in the U.S.!

What countries makeup Asia and the Pacific Islands?

Asia and the Pacific Islands take up a huge chunk of our globe, so when we celebrate this month, we should keep in mind all the amazing diversity within diversity. Every country and region has its own unique culture, traditions, and experiences, and that's pretty exceptional!

When we talk about Asia and the Pacific Islands, this includes the continent of Asia and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands), Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and Easter Island), and Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia).

Resources:

• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - Origins, Themes & Populations

• Guide to Observing Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

If you would like to learn more about how to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage in your classroom or home, Learning for Justice has a free webinar that may interest you. Check out the course description below:

"In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, join LFJ Professional Development Trainer Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn and Teaching and Learning Specialist Jon Tobin in unpacking the origins, meaning and contemporary impact of the term "Asian American Pacific Islander." We will also break down the model minority myth and provide educators with resources to effectively teach AAPI history.

Earn credit: When you complete 95 percent or more of the webinar, a certificate of completion will be available for you to download and print from within the webinar platform. Please note this certificate will not state how long the webinar was or how long you viewed the webinar. Because Learning for Justice is not a credit-granting agency, we encourage you to check with your administration to determine if your participation will count toward continuing education requirements."

To learn more, click here.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) where we recognize the achievements of Jewish Americans!

The month was officially designated as Jewish American Heritage Month by President George W. Bush on April 20th, 2006. This was after the tireless work of Jewish community leaders, especially the Jewish Musen of Florida and the South Florida community.

To view the 2022 White House Proclamation on Jewish American Heritage Month, click here.

During this month, we encourage our staff and community to celebrate our Jewish students, staff, and families, as well as explore more about the rich culture of Jewish people.

Resources:

• National Museum of American Jewish History
• American Archive of Public Broadcasting's Jewish American Heritage Collection
• Jewish American Heritage Month | National Archives
  

Traveling to museums is difficult at the moment, but if you'd like to learn more about the Holocaust this month to honor our Jewish community, there is a free resource that can help.

The Florida Holocaust Museum, in collaboration with the University of South Florida's Tampa Library and Department of History, has put together a virtual project where participants can tour the museum and experience the permanent exhibitions and resources.

Check out the Tutorial Document before you start your tour.

To begin your virtual tour, click here.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we encourage everyone to take some time to reflect and practice self-care. The observance of this month began back in 1949 and is used to bring attention to those who struggle with mental illness, as well as talk about how important mental health is in our society.

This is something that affects everyone, and it is important that we talk openly about mental health with our students and in our community. This last year has been challenging, and it has had a big impact on the mental health of people of all ages, all over the world. According to the CDC, "During January 20, 2021–February 1, 2021, 23.8% of persons with symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder had unmet mental health needs, and this percentage increased by 2.8 percentage points from August 2020 to February 2021."

We've provided some resources for educators to use in their classrooms, but also resources that everyone can use for self-care.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to practice Grounding techniques in the video below and take a few minutes to appreciate the amazing work you're doing in your life.

Be kind to yourselves this month (and every month)!

Community Resources

• CommUnity: CommUnity Crisis Center’s talk/chat/text line is available 24/7 for students, families, and staff. Call 1-855-325-4296 and you’ll be connected to a trained crisis counselor in Iowa City.

• United Action for Youth: Specialized support and therapy services for youth and their families. Contact 319-338-7518 to speak with a counselor.

• Synchrony Employee Assistance Program: Synchrony provides free counseling to District personnel as an employee benefit. Contact 319-351-4357 to speak with a counselor.

• The City High NESST page has quite a few resources related to mental health as well, which may be useful to share.

Other Resources

• Mental Health Month | Mental Health America
• Fact Sheet: Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month 2023 | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• A Proclamation on National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2023 | The White House
• Mental Health Awareness Month | NAMI

May is Haitian Heritage Month!

During this month we celebrate Haitian heritage and culture. This celebration first started in Boston in 1998, and since then many states and elected officials have issued proclamations recognizing Haitian Heritage Month in their area.

Mark your calendars for May 18th, which is Haitian Flag Day! Many use this day to explore art, and delicious food and learn more about the traditions and rich culture of the Haitian people.

To learn more about Haitian Heritage, click here, and click here.

Other Resources:

• Haitian Heritage Museum
• Research Guides: Freedom in the Black Diaspora: A Resource Guide for Ayiti Reimagined: Celebrating Black Joy: Haitian & Haitian American Stories
• Haitian Art Society

May 5th is Cinco de Mayo, which is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.

While Cinco de Mayo is a relatively small holiday in Mexico, it is much more popular in the United States, where it has evolved into a day to commemorate and celebrate Mexican culture and Mexican American heritage. This Cinco de Mayo, we want to honor our Mexican American students, staff, families, and community.

If you or someone you know celebrates Cinco de Mayo, we hope you have an amazing day!

To learn more about the history of Cinco de Mayo, click here.

To learn more about how to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and avoid harmful stereotypes, click here.

There are a lot of exciting cultural events and observances coming up this summer! Keep an eye out for our next issues.

What's Happening in June?

• LGBTQ Pride Month
• Juneteenth
• Caribbean American Heritage Month

What's Happening in July?

• Fourth of July
• French-American Heritage Month
• ADA Anniversary

If you'd like to look at past issues of our newsletter, click here.

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 May! If you celebrate any of these, we hope that you have an amazing day for yourself and your families!

• Beltane - Monday, May 1st
• Twelfth Day of Riḍván - Tuesday, May 2nd
• Ghambar Maidyozarem ends - Thursday, May 4th
• Second Passover - Friday, May 5th
  
• Wesak - Friday, May 5th
• Lag BaOmer - Tuesday, May 9th
  
• ‘Azamat - Wednesday, May 17th
  
• Ascension - Thursday, May 18th
• Ascension of Jesus - Thursday, May 18th
• Vesak - Buddha Day - Friday, May 19th
• Yom Yerushalayim - Friday, May 19th
  
• Savitri Pooja - Friday, May 19th
  
• Declaration of the Báb - Wednesday, May 24th
  
• Shavuot (1st day) - Thursday, May 25th
  
• Jashan of Hordad - Thursday, May 25th
• Shavuot - Friday, May 26th
• Pentecost - Sunday, May 28th
• Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh - Monday, May 29th

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