Happy February WPS,

As we celebrate Black History Month in February, we are reminded of the significant contributions of Black figures in our world both globally and locally. We hope this month's newsletter provides you with resources to celebrate Black history with your students, and also reminds us of the importance of not limiting this celebration only to this month.

“Black History Month shouldn’t be treated as though it is somehow separate from our collective American history or somehow just boiled down to a compilation of greatest hits from the March on Washington or from some of our sports heroes. It’s about the lived, shared experience of all African Americans, high and low, famous and obscure, and how those experiences have shaped and challenged and ultimately strengthened America.” - Barack Obama

We want to thank you for all the ways you support our students and each other in feeling a sense of belonging in our community.

Sincerely,

The Equity Facilitator Team

• February - Black History Month

• February 14th - Valentine's Day

• February 14th - Lent Begins

• January 28th - February 3rd - Chinese New Year

• March 20th - Cunniff Multicultural Night

• March 27th - Lowell CultureFest

*If we miss or incorrectly communicate a holiday, please don't hesitate to reach out*

"Our goal as educators is to highlight the achievements of particular cultures during a heritage month like Black History Month but also ensure that our efforts are sustained throughout the year and are part of our everyday teaching. Black history is American history, and it’s critical for this value to be part of your pedagogy."

"It’s important to acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month. Let us not stop there. When we incorporate biographies and stories that feature Black people into our teaching beyond the heritage month, we provide students with wonderful opportunities to see themselves, learn something new, and connect with the content on a deeper level. We are benefiting all students by including books and materials featuring a range of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) experiences all year long."

- Katie Potter

Have students research famous African Americans who they admire and want to learn more about, and explore their achievements. Then using google slides or canva have them create a poster to decorate your classroom.

ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups that aim to promote diversity and inclusion within an organization by creating a sense of community and belonging among employees who share common interests and identities.

Click Here for more information

Email: DEIB_Office@watertown.k12.ma.us with any questions

Equity Facilitators have copies of this book that you can borrow.

In order to best meet the needs of our students, while also ensuring that there is alignment across all 5 schools in the district, we are implementing a ‘Adjustment/Substitution Protocol’.

The adjustment and substitution processes begin with a grade-level team bringing a concern to their school-based literacy coach. We ask that the grade-level team both email their literacy coach of the concern and fill out the ‘Adjustment/Substitution Inquiry Form’. Based on the responses from this form, a team including literacy coaches, coordinators, Equity Specialists and school and district administrators will gather to review the concern, investigate the context of the text and/or task, and come to a consensus on whether the text or task will be adjusted or substituted. If you have a recommendation material to add the team will also review that as a part of the process. If the team does decide to substitute material, an email will be sent out to all teachers within the grade-level across the district to inform them of the change and materials to use in place of the Wit & Wisdom material. All teachers within the grade-level will therefore be expected to use this substituted material, found within the ‘Adjustment/Substitution Google Folder’ on the shared drives. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Deborah Opar, your Principal, or literacy coach if you have any questions or wonderings about this process. We look forward to your continued collaboration to provide all our WPS students with high-quality, rigorous, engaging, and culturally-responsive learning opportunities!