January 9th, 2024
Weekly Review
Winter Sports Are Coming!
All students in grades k-5 should have brought home a permission form indicating their assigned sport for next week. Additionally, families that signed their 3-5 students up for skiing/snowboarding need to check your email and follow the instructions to sign up for passes and rentals.
All permission forms are due back Friday.
Volunteers will be receiving emails to confirm their attendance for next week. Thanks for your help!
Upcoming Events 📆
First Day of Winter Sports
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025, 08:00 AM
Affinity Groups
There are a few affinity groups for k-5 students happening at WRS. Please reach out to Mr. Kussius (kussiusd@hartfordschools.net) if you think your child would benefit from being in one of the following:
- Multicultural Group - Students and allies of students from multicultural identities
- Rainbow Club - Students and allies of students that identify as or have families with LGBT identities.
- Big Book Club (grades 2 and up-- students reading chapter books independently).
HSD's Curiosity Corner
Curiosity Corner
Week 15: How is diversity and inclusion good for all students?
In 2020, the Hartford School District adopted an Anti Racism Policy (At a Glance). This commitment to anti-racism would seemingly benefit those most marginalized. But how is diversity and inclusion good for all students? Inclusion and Education: #AllmeansALL from UNESCO provides an overview of how an inclusive education can affect all children.
“In contrast to the view that addressing topics such as privilege and systemic inequity is harmful, research shows that experience with these issues leads to positive changes in students’ attitudes and values (Gurin et al., 2002).”
By presenting students with viewpoints far different from their own, it gives them the opportunity to think critically about their own beliefs and examine the world in fresh ways.
Exposure to Diversity Helps Students Enter Adulthood
When students enter the professional world, they join a vast and diverse workforce. Interacting with people of all different backgrounds and mindsets can present a challenge without prior exposure to diversity, especially at a younger age.
Diversity Prepares Students for Citizenship
The more involved citizens are with their government and political landscape, the more educated they become about government processes, and the more informed decisions they can make about how they are governed.
Diversity Promotes Creativity
At its core, creativity is all about bringing together different ideas and transforming them to make something new, unique, and personal. The more ideas and experiences people are exposed to, the more creative they can be.
Resources:
https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/benefits-of-inclusion-and-diversity-in-the-classroom/
The Benefits of Diversity Education
https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en/inclusion