The Essential

Welcome to March, friends! Spring is coming. The days are getting longer and hope is in the air. As we embark on our Women's History Month celebration, the Essential will be highlighting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ women who have struggled for equal rights and respect in the battle toward equality for all women. We've come a long way on the road to equity for women in the US but have not finished the work. Equity requires regular examination of our systems and the opportunities and benefits they award and to whom. The origin of the movement for women's rights was primarily led by white American women with minimal account for Black Indigenous and women of color, LGBTQ+ women and trans women. This exemplifies the importance of intersectionality and our need to consider the experiences and realities of other people around us with a learning posture. We cannot fully understand the experiences of others but we can listen with empathy and let others be the experts on their own lives. Please check out the links below.

The display below was created by Jazzy Griffin and Brenda Norell. Let it inspire us to find ways to bring visibility and recognition to the many ways women have impacted the history of our nation and continue to challenge inequality that persists.

As we end our districtwide BHM celebration, it's encouraging to see how much we've grown as a community in recognizing the importance of our students seeing themselves in our hallways, our posters and bulletin boards, our shared stories and our curriculum. Thank you to all the staff who helped put these together. Click on the image below to access the slideshow.

Families brought delicious home cooked food to share. Community partners celebrated and shared resources with families. Board members attended, along with administrators, teachers, and many students and families. Several students and some staff members performed poetry, dance, and song. The DJ pumped the music and our lovely BSU student MC's did a fantastic job! We had not one but two Black city council members speak (from Portland, Mingus Mapps and from Gresham, Vincent Jones-Dixon), and also our very own Oregon senator and David Douglas dad, Kayse Jama also address the crowd. It was a lovely and enriching time celebrating our Black community. Click on images below to enlarge.

I had been thinking about finishing my college degree for several years. When the Grow Your Own program began in our district and after talking with Taye, I knew this was an opportunity that I could not pass up. Although I was nervous to re-enroll in college, I have been blessed with an abundance of support and encouragement from family, friends, and the GYO program structure. I have a new appreciation of being a college student who has life experience, in raising a family and having a career that allows me to make a positive impact on the young people of my community. I have found that when I reflect on my time in working with our youth, it is easy to make a connection between those experiences and my coursework. I have learned the importance of time management, positivity, and giving yourself grace no matter where you are in your journey. I look forward to continuing my path to become a school counselor, with a continued focus on serving Black Youth. Please contact DDSD GYO Advisor, Amo Reyes, if you are classified staff of color interested in Grow Your Own opportunities.

CRT's continue to be a focus for all David Douglas schools. Each school should have at least two culturally responsive teaching strategies they are working on. If you're not sure about your building, ask your administrator. CRT's are simply good teaching practices that, when exercised with care help foster a learning environment that is inclusive and accessible to all students. Culturally responsive teaching practices are intended to support marginalized students, but many studies suggest they help improve achievement for all students, including the more privileged and higher achieving. Using visual transitions represents CRT #7. Great job, RRMS!