June Is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month!

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Division Compass

According to U.S. Census Bureau, “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States… The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.”

In Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS), student-led organizations providing affinity and advocacy for LGBTQIA students exist at all secondary schools.* These student organizations have leaned in to help ACPS achieve its strategic goal of “Affirming and Empowering Communities,” including respecting and championing the diversity of life experiences of all students. Continue reading →

ACPS 2022 Equity Conference: Join Us on June 11!

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Division Compass

Saturday, June 11, 2022 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Monticello High School | Registration

The ACPS Equity Specialists and Conference Committee are pleased to offer the 2022 Equity Conference on Saturday, June 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Monticello High School. In addition to hearing from educators who are engaged in our collective work to eliminate practices that produce inequitable outcomes for students, participants will discover what it means to be an ACPS Culturally Responsive Educator. We will also recognize our most recent CRT certified and micro-credential candidates. Continue reading →

May Is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Division Compass

science learning, sharing cultural knowledge, and this year’s spelling bee 2nd place winner Claire Meng

According to the U.S. Census Bureau:

In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad completed May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a month-long celebration that is now known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

In Albemarle County Public Schools, there are 782 students who identify as Asian and 12 students who identify as Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. We encourage you to continue to build partnerships and produce relevant curriculum that honors the culture and experiences of these students and their families! Continue reading →

VCU’s Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Educator Micro-Credential

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Division Compass

CRT sign on notebook paper with drawing of globe

The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Education is partnering with the Virginia Department of Education to pilot a professional learning opportunity for Virginia educators to earn a Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Educator micro-credential. While the VCU program is designed to meet the state’s cultural competency training requirement and you may find it to provide a good general introduction to cultural competencies, please note that the program does not fulfill Albemarle County Public School’s requirement that all ACPS educators complete the ACPS Culturally Responsive Teaching micro-credential. Continue reading →

Celebrate Black History Month With Us!

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Division Compass

elementary students seated around a table in school

February is Black History Month, a celebration of the achievements and brilliance of the African American community! Black History Month was envisioned by Carter G. Woodson and his colleagues who founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and instituted a week-long celebration of Black history in 1926. In the late 1960s, due to the growing civil rights movement, the week-long celebration evolved into a month-long “Black History Month,” a recognition encouraging schools and communities to organize local celebrations, history events, performances, and lectures uplifting the history of African Americans. Continue reading →

CRT and the Brain Book Study: New Dates!

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Division Compass

Our popular Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain book study series is a five-session Zoom course. Participants process the entire text through small group discussions and ongoing classroom strategy application. Our next series will take place in January and February as follows:

Elementary | five consecutive Tuesdays, January 11 – February 8 | 3 to 4:15 p.m.
Elementary & Secondary | five consecutive Thursdays, January 13 – February 10 | 4:45 to 6:15 p.m.

Continue reading →

Office of Community Engagement Releases More Fall 2021 PD Opportunities in Culturally Responsive Teaching

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Division Compass

From our foundational CRT module sessions to a division-wide virtual CRT & The Brain book study, you can start or continue your learning in Culturally Responsive Teaching this fall through the Office of Community Engagement CRT professional development series. To find out more about and register for these PD offerings from the Office of Community Engagement, including CRT modules offered this month, check out the “Upcoming Internal PD” listings on the ACPS Professional Development site. Please contact Leilani Keys or Vicki Hobson, ACPS Equity Specialists, with questions.

CRT Intent to Pursue Form Due Oct. 22

Posted on October 18, 2021 by Division Compass

If you intend to pursue an ACPS Certification or Micro-Credential in Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) in the 2021-22 academic year, please complete the Intent to Pursue form by Friday, October 22. This form will confirm your official intent to pursue a CRT credential with the Office of Community Engagement and allow for preparation to fully support you throughout your journey. Continue reading →

Virtual Book Study: Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain – Register by Oct. 14

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Division Compass

You’re invited to participate in a virtual book study on Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain, by Zaretta Hammond, this October and November. There are two options, and each group will meet once per week from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for five consecutive weeks:

On Tuesdays & one Wednesday: October 19, 26; November 3, 9, 16 (Nov. 3 is a Wednesday.)

Or, on Thursdays: October 21, 28; November 4, 11, 18

If you’re interested in participating, please register by October 14: Book Study Registration. Continue reading →

Free Virtual CRT & Anti-Racism Classes

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Division Compass

Community Education is proud to offer FREE classes in partnership with our ACPS Equity Specialists to inform parents and the community about culturally responsive teaching and anti-racism. Please feel free to share this information with your families and school communities!