Renewing the Equity Promise Community members, parents, students and alumni are rolling up their sleeves and coming together as part of a new oversight group called the District Equity Council (DEC). It’s one of a half-dozen strategies designed to update and renew Mounds View Public Schools’ Equity Promise, which states in part that programs and services will be in place at all schools to ensure that race, gender, class and disability will not predict students’ success in Mounds View Public Schools. “Some in our community believe we’re doing a good job, and some don’t believe the Equity Promise includes them,” says Jason Knighton-Johnson,
District Equity Council members “ We have some experts in this community that want to make a change to make things better in the community,” says District Equity Council leader Jason Knighton-Johnson. Wachen Bedell Anderson, parent Jessica Berc, parent Heidi Danielson, School Board Ruth Davis, parent Kalimba Edwards, parent Siobhan Ehle, parent Leticia A. Floyd, parent Robert Garrett, student Kara Genia, parent Nicole Hard, student Kate Harsh, parent Jaki Hurst, student Firdosa Hussein, parent J.J. Killins, parent Jason Knighton-Johnson, equity liaison Kayli Knighton-Johnson, volunteer Carmen Kurdziel, parent S. Rain Lawrence, parent Chris Lennox, superintendent Brian Lozenski, parent Yolanda Magee, parent Alyssa Miller, parent Jorannie Saryee, student Jo Saxton, parent Joanna Tzenis, parent Emily Voz, parent
equity liaison at Highview Middle School. “This council takes the community perspective and drops it into the center of our work.” Meeting monthly, the group will actively participate in the structuring, implementation and monitoring of the action steps of District equity work. The DEC also will serve as a resource in identifying areas for improvement, reinforcement and celebration related to student performance and the effectiveness of the Equity Promise. The DEC will partner in setting District goals as well as the measurement, tracking and public reporting of progress. Main areas of focus include:
• Creating an equity framework, including some immediate actions • Developing a long-term equity and integration policy • Establishing guidelines for staff professional development
“This is important work, and we want to make sure we’re engaging a diverse group of community stakeholders,” says Superintendent Chris Lennox. “Our community truly wants to partner with us, and Jason has been instrumental in moving this work forward. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead.” View the DEC progress at moundsviewschools.org/equitycouncil.
GOAL: Update and renew the District Equity Promise STRATEGIES: • Establish a District Equity Committee. • Improve and enhance supports for people of color and other underrepresented students with a focus on college and career planning. • Establish annual training for students and staff in the areas of anti-racism, implicit bias, equity and inclusion. • Redesign curriculum and materials to be more culturally relevant and to include absent narratives. • Review systems and structures for placement of students into courses. • Review District policies and regulations through the lens of anti-racism. • Increase the number of staff of color across our workforce.
SPRING 2021
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