DEI Department

Last week, the DEI Department hosted a gathering for NPS Administrators of Color. While hosting several BIPOC affinity spaces throughout the year for NPS educators and staff, this gathering represents some of our diverse leaders across the district (and we're still missing a few). With a “Game Night” theme, it also brought out PLENTY of competitive spirit!

From L to R: Underwood Principal: Dr. Suzie Talukdar, METCO Director: Lisa Gilbert-Smith, Bigelow Principal: Chassity Coston, HR Director: Martine Albama, F.A. Day Administrative Intern: Borkeny Sambou, Lincoln-Eliot Principal: Dr. Maura Morse, Asst. Superintendent of Teaching & Learning: Dr. Renee McCall, Brown Asst. Principal: Julian Turner, Asst. Superintendent for Student Services: Casey Ngo-Miller, (Former) Coordinator of Multi-tiered Systems of Support: Dr. Art Fergusson, DEI Director: Kathy Lopes

This past January, we announced the official launch of our partnership with Lasell University - in support of reducing barriers for Unit C staff of color to attain advanced degrees and in hopes of increasing and retaining a diverse educator workforce here at NPS.

We are thrilled to share that the first cohort of 15 students (10 from NPS) have successfully completed their first course: ED 711 Curriculum and Assessment of Diverse Learners and have already begun their next sequence of courses: ED 712 Literacy Instruction: Elementary 1-6th grade & SPED 711 Learners with Special Needs. Course instructor, Allison Posey, shared this feedback, “This cohort is amazing – I have really enjoyed their effort, their diverse perspectives, and the energy they bring to this work.”

As planned, we will be offering information sessions this Spring for the next cohort, set to begin in September. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.

Lincoln-Eliot, Underwood, and Ward Elementary schools Culturally-Responsive teams met for the second time to collaboratively further their culturally responsive instruction. They also participated in workshops led by their CRI Teams.

This month Bowen educators explored books at Frugal Bookstore. As a learning community, they are committed to ensuring diverse representation in the books our students experience at school, including during read-alouds, book groups, and independent reading. As a staff, they know the importance of students seeing themselves in books, learning about others, and beginning to examine whose story is being represented in a book and who is telling the story.

Check out Frugal Bookstore yourself either online or in person, 57 Warren Street, Roxbury, MA 02119.

Angier's Pride club (People Respecting Individuality Diversity and Equality) meets monthly, and they have been having a lot of fun together this school year. For the activity in this picture, each student in Angier's PRIDE club colored a square and then put them together to make this awesome PRIDE flag. Students were invited to sign the edges of the flag after it was done, capturing their pronouns as well if they wanted to share. It is now in the Angier lobby for everyone to see, reminding all students, faculty, and visiting families to "Be Proud, Be You!".

In honor of Black History Month, parents/caregivers who identify as Black and/or African American were invited to join classrooms to share about a friend, family or famous person who has made a difference in their life. Children loved these shares and learned so much. We also celebrated Black History Month during our all-school assembly. Third graders shared about the amazing contributions of Black Americans including Mary McLeod Bethune, Misty Copeland, Henry Box Brown and Carter G. Woodson.

Cabot Elementary displayed a Black History Month banner outside of their main office which included Black people whose achievements and contributions have made a significant impact on our country. Kindergarten teacher Ms. Cain (pictured below), explains the meaning of each sentence and the history of each person listed on the banner. Boston students (pictured below) celebrated METCO Counselor Melissa Wong's birthday which coincides with Black History Month.

Franklin Elementary students affinity group F.A.M.E. (Franklin Affinity Mentoring and Enrichment) decorated their school to showcase Martin Luther King Jr. day.

To create the Freedom Hands mural pictured below, students choose the paint color of their hand. The difference in color of each handprint symbolizes Franklin's diverse student population.

Click the Freedom Hands photo to view pictures of the events held throughout Black History Month.

Throughout Black History Month, Horace Mann students participated in morning announcements where they identified, described and shared the accomplishments of a person of color over the intercom. An accompanying slide deck was created and given to younger students in order for them to have a visual and some simple bullet points outlining that persons achievements. To view the slide deck click the button below.

Lincoln Eliot students created a board for Black History Month which highlighted accomplishments made by famous Black people in the music industry.

Second grade teachers Casstrena Moses and Nadine Houston shared an informative series of lessons on Black history including a focus on Black inventors. In addition, their class wrote poems about Black History Month and what it means to them.

At Brown, sixth grade advisories created posters (see below) of influential Black people from history and current day. These posters are on display in the hallways at Brown. Students also researched different Black people from history and shared information each day on the morning and afternoon announcements.

Throughout Black History Month, Oak Hill's student advisory's were spent celebrating the achievements of Black and African American Individuals. Click the button below to view the student advisory presentations.

The Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC), a student organization at Newton North High School, facilitated an amazing BLAC Day on February 17th. The day included moderated panels, “Black Boy Joy” and the “Black Diaspora” where students shared their experiences in school and the world, as well as the richness and diversity of Black experience and roots. Other BLAC Day activities included students' live paintings, art exhibitions, clothing from one of the student clothing designers, poetry, and dances both modern and traditional.

BLAC Day activities included students' live paintings, art exhibitions, clothing from one of the student clothing designers, poetry, and dances both modern and traditional.

The Black Student Union hosted Black Culture Day where students offered learning experiences about the triumphs of Black Americans as they celebrated and shared the Black experience during four important and unique presentations.

The presentations are: Anti-Black Hate Crimes/Practices, History AND Redemption/Protest Songs; Black Film/Blacks in Film History; Black and Queer at Newton South; and an HBCU Panel and STEP Demonstration.

Join the Teachers’ Lounge for their first event at the Museum of Fine Arts since 2020.

This MFA Late Nite Takeover, on Friday March 31st, will be an immersive musical experience inspired by the MFA’s Hear Me Now exhibition and will honor the music that has shaped many of our lives! We will celebrate Black voices, Black artistry, Black joy, and Black influence. ⁠

For more information & to register click the link below

Are you a teacher looking for innovative and vetted resources to enrich the learning experience of your students?

Sign up today to become a Partner Teacher with Campus Without Walls, which offers 24+ fun and engaging thematic units and enrichment modules for grades 6-12. These units are shared (for FREE) with you as a Partner Teacher and your students to provide you with a full library of project-based, antiracist, culturally responsive, curricula taught live by fellow educators (from all school types) and community partners that can be integrated into your current classroom offerings.

Please check out our website to sign up, get a detailed overview of the program, and view our Spring 2023 courses. If you have any questions, please contact the Campus Without Walls Director, Jasmine Toussaint, at jtoussaint@build.org.