Acton-Boxborough Regional School District: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Acton MA

30 August, 2021

6:26 PM

Description

Press release from the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District: August 30, 2021 In June 2019, Superintendent Light announced a strategic move that continued the district's efforts to increase our focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). At this time, he shared that current Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Dr. Dawn Bentley will shift her title to Assistant Superintendent for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to provide continued leadership for equity within the district and our efforts to create a more inclusive environment. Our District Definitions of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Diversity: the sum of the ways that people are both alike and different. While diversity itself is not a value-laden term, the way that people react to diversity is driven by values, attitudes, beliefs, and experiences. (Adapted from the National Education Association) Equity: securing needed supports, opportunities, and resources for individuals and groups of students who typically haven't received what they need from schools (Adapted from Mica Pollack's Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say About- and to- Students Everyday) Inclusion: is not a strategy to help people fit into the systems and structures which exist in our society; it is about transforming those systems and strategies to make it better for everyone. Inclusion is about creating a better world for everyone. (Diane Richler, Inclusion International) Talking with Your Kids About Hate, Bias, and More DEI Blog 8/21/2019: Do It Afraid 8/27/2019: When We Know Better, We Do Better 9/7/2019: How are Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Different? 10/19/2019: A World of Difference 11/22/2019: Holiday "Traditions" 2/11/2020: Turning to One Another 3/4/2020: Bias and the Coronavirus 3/22/2020: Shifting Language: From Social Distancing to Physical Distancing 4/13/2020: Structure as Usual, Not Business as Usual 8/12/2020: Vulnerability This page is a work in progress, and we hope you will check back regularly for updates on our DEI work. This press release was produced by the Acton - Boxborough Regional School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.