Spotlight on Equity Education, Issue 3

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celebration of diverse cultures in education depicted in 3D image of graduate

Welcome to the third issue of Spotlight on Equity Education! In this issue, we’re talking about the number of Culturally Responsive credentialed educators in ACPS, culturally sensitive ways to celebrate Thanksgiving, and Solidarity week. Plus, we’ve included the November calendars for CRT Credentialing and observances and holidays. Be sure to check out our new Culturally Responsive Teaching web page.

Did you know?

Over 350 educators have earned a Culturally Responsive Teaching certificate or micro-credential since the program’s inception in 2015. Last year, 160 candidates earned a credential, up from 70 the year before. This year, over 200 educators have expressed an interest in working through the process. Are you one of them? If so, please submit a CRT Candidate form if you haven’t already and connect with an Equity Specialist to make sure that you’re off to a good start in the work. By this point, if you are pursuing a credential, you should write out a narrative about your instructional context and work on completing your equity audit by next month. The November Division Cohort meeting will focus on data and equity audits.

How do we celebrate Thanksgiving?

Last month, the observation of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 10 highlighted the complicated nature of our shared, yet diverse, history. This month, our celebration of Thanksgiving and its traditional place in our American story may seem at odds with our modern understanding of the historical relationship between colonial settlers and tribes of the Native Americans. As you observe Thanksgiving in your classrooms this month, we encourage you to consider Native perspectives. This resource from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian offers context for the holiday and culturally sensitive resources for all ages: Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations.

Solidarity Week is November 7-11.

Solidarity is defined as voluntary, collective and sustained action based on the understanding that we don’t all share the same risks. We must work across all differences to ensure that every student has the right to a safe and supportive learning environment. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) instituted Solidarity Week (formerly Ally Week) in order to advocate for LGBTQIA+ youth who face disproportionate bullying, harassment and discrimination in K-12 schools. Check out the Nov. 1 communication from Dr. Haas with additional details about how you can support Solidarity Week.

CRT Credentialing Calendar

Holidays and Observances

  • All Saints’ Day: November 1
  • Solidarity Week: November 7-11
  • Election Day: November 8
  • Veterans Day: November 11
  • Thanksgiving: November 24

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.