Welcome to the fourth issue of Spotlight on Equity Education! In this issue, we’re talking about the January 6 “Intent to Pursue” requirement for those seeking certification or a micro-credential in Culturally Responsive Teaching; ideas to promote culturally responsive holiday practices in our schools; and the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Are you ready to submit your “Intent to Pursue” on January 6?
Anyone who plans to submit a product for Culturally Responsive Teaching Certification or Micro-Credentialing this year will need to submit an Intent to Pursue Form with supporting documentation on January 6, 2023. The form will ask for links to:
- Your equity audit work; and
- A copy of your graphic organizer, outline, or draft project work with the required elements.
To be eligible for final submission in May, the January 6 submission requires evidence of an Equity Audit and linked work describing your Professional Learning and Growth provided through the graphic organizer, outline, or similar document. Regardless of how far along you are, we welcome a rough draft submission, and we will provide feedback on your progress to help shape your work over the next 3-4 months as you work toward your final product.
It’s the holiday season… right?
In our last two issues, we highlighted the complexity involved in some of our civic observances, but the month of December brings our religious holidays and observances into focus. For one, this is not the holiday season for our Muslim students. Dates for the holy month of Ramadan do not coincide with the western calendar; in fact, they only fall in the months of November-January every few decades. In some places, it is common practice to celebrate “the holidays” by minimizing the Christian elements of Christmas and including elements from additional observances that fall near the end of year, such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
Many standards across grade levels pertain to religious beliefs and observances, and learning about their practices and origins is an important part of our students’ learning. We also encourage student expression; we do not wish to stifle our students’ capacity to celebrate in the way their families and communities choose to do so. For more specific guidance on holiday observances, please see School Board Policy INDC-R, Religion in the Schools, in particular pages 3-4.
Human Rights Day
This December, we globally begin to prepare in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) with Human Rights Day on December 10. As part of our reflection, we encourage you to consider the impact this declaration has had on our country and our lives since its adoption in 1948. Teachers interested in speaking with their students about this are encouraged to use the UDHR illustrated text and uplift the words of Article 26: “Everyone has the right to education.” We also encourage reflection on how some of our students, including our refugees, asylees, and parolees, have been denied this right and the impact this has on our students, families and classrooms.
CRT Credentialing Calendar
- December 14 | Division Cohort and Diversity Resource Teacher combined meeting (in-person, Albemarle High School Cafeteria)
- January 6 | Intent to Pursue Form due. Required to be eligible for Certification or Micro-Credential submission in May
Holidays and Observances
- National Special Education Day: December 2
- Human Rights Day: December 10
- Hanukkah: December 18-26
- Winter Solstice: December 21
- Christmas: December 25
- Kwanzaa: December 26- January 1
ACPS Equity Specialists are available to provide Professional Learning Community (PLC) and school-level support for Culturally Responsive Teaching practices and to assist in helping teachers work through the credentialing process. For support or assistance, please reach out to the specialist(s) assigned to your school or email the full equity specialist team.