DEI Department

National Native American Month started off as an effort to get a day of appreciation and acknowledgment for the unique contributions made by the first Americans for the growth and establishment of the United States. The effort has now resulted in a whole month being celebrated for that purpose.

The NPS Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, along with the BIPOC Staff Affinity Group Coordinators are hosting a fall gathering to welcome you all back to the 2022-23 school year!

Inviting all BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) members of the NPS community (admin, educators and staff) to meet and/or reconnect with each other.

Join us for community, laughs... and FREE food!

*Please RSVP so we have a proper number for catering services.

Strengthening The

Social-Emotional and Academic Health

Of Students of Color, Through

Self-care and Trauma-Informed Practices

Keynote Speaker: John King, Former United States Secretary of Education

This spring, students can participate in the academic competition that centers higher order thinking and culturally/racially relevant content. The high school teams spend 3-6 months preparing for a History Argument, a Literature Analysis (rendered as a performance), an Art Mural and a Math Quiz Bowl. Middle school teams engage in Literature Analysis, a STEM competition, and a Leadership Challenge.

To view a video of the high level student and staff engagement click this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch4BKn7l3kI

For the "Getting Started: guide click this link,

https://www.tenacitychallenge.com/

If you have any questions feel free to email Newton North principal, Henry Turner, turnerhj@newton.k12.ma.us.

In October, Lincoln-Eliot teachers and staff worked collaboratively at the first CRI session working on identity frames.

In art class, all LE students, grades K-5 learned about self-portraits and why artists make them. Grades 3-5 used lines of proportion for greater realism in their portraits. Each grade was assigned a monochromatic color scheme and used tints and shades of one color to color in their portraits. The finished portraits were assembled to create a rainbow representing our school community and demonstrates how each individual student is an important part of it. This project was directed by Mrs. Sutherland and her student teacher from BU, Miss Gibadlo.

At Day Middle School we are launching our work with students around race, culture and identity with a series of schoolwide community days beginning on November 8th with our theme of Identity and Belonging. We will be working together in our advisory groups on understanding and exploring our own identity and how our identity impacts our interactions with others in our community. We then continue our work with students on each of the release days to include themes of service and community, stereotypes and bias, microaggressions and Upstanders.

Our faculty members have completed a self-assessment on culturally responsive practices in order to identify their individual area of professional interest and growth. They have used that self-assessment to select one of three professional learning areas: culturally responsive interactions, culturally responsive instruction and equitable grading practices. These three professional learning communities are facilitated monthly by faculty who engage staff in shared learning and application to practice.

At Newton South students celebrated NAHM through a variety of WIN block activities including a student faculty panel, a presentation by guest artist and parent Isabel Zapata, and Latin dancing led by teachers Helena Alfonso and Cynthia Manthei. We were so excited to see so many students learning and embracing these awesome opportunities.

Continuing NPS commitment to Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Central Administration has committed to six days of training provided by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. The M.A.S.S. Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (M.A.S.S. REDI) is an organization-wide, long-term strategy of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (M.A.S.S.) designed to ensure that every school in Massachusetts learns to model the anti-racist, inclusive practice required for every adult and student to learn and thrive.

The Teachers Lounge Vision is to seek and drive unprecedented student outcomes by greatly diversifying the people, thoughts, and actions of the educational workforce in the Greater Boston Area and beyond. We encourage you to sign up for mailing list to be notified about upcoming events.

Click the picture to sign up for the TTL upcoming Connect Build & Vibe event.