Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Update

 

February 17, 2021

I want to take this opportunity to provide an update on what specifically the Saline Area Schools has been doing over this past year to support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.

The following list details many of our ongoing action steps that are currently taking place:

• Developed "Equity Teams" in all school buildings - These groups are meeting monthly to better support equity within all of our buildings in the District.
• Diversified SAS hiring/staffing practices - We are actively seeking new ways to diversify our hiring/staffing practices to make certain that we are attracting a diverse candidate pool.
• Expanded our curriculum to better support culturally inclusive teaching and learning practices
• Revamping the way history can be taught from multiple perspectives
• Developed a "Deepening DEI Through Literacy Committee" in order to support ALL students in their ability to connect to the SAS curriculum 
• Developed hate/speech language to better support our students
• Provided Equity training for all SAS staff members 
• Continue to provide opportunities for SAS staff to deepen their equity education through coursework at our local WISD
• Established a DEI Leadership Coalition (DEILC) - This is a community based committee consisting of parents, students, staff and community leaders. This Coalition is primarily focused on three key areas
1. Structure, Systems, Policies and Practices/Hiring
2. Safety, Healing, Empowerment
3. Learning, Curriculum, Assessment
The DEILC meets monthly
• Formed a Civility Action Committee to help SAS and our community at large have better conversations about issues that exist in society. This led to the development of the Saline Bridge to Civility (a protocol that we can use to help facilitate better discussion)

Here are a number of additional action steps that are coming up next:

• Present on our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts at the March 9, 2021 Board of Education Meeting

• Coordinate a community Zoom meeting to introduce the Saline Bridge to Civility concept, background information, how we would like to use it and offer some small breakout rooms to discuss. 

• Re-ignite our Listening Sessions # (Spring, 2021) using trained facilitators (Diana Wong and Sensei Change Associates) and the Saline Bridge to Civility protocol to continue our discussions about equity within the school district and community.

# After two very visible racist incidents occurred in Saline last year, we held 7 productive listening sessions where the community came together to participate in discussion about racism, equity and the issues that are impacting Saline (and society as a whole).

We will continue to support diversity, equity and inclusion in our school district.