Multicultural Committee Digest August 2021 Issue 1

MULTICULTURAL COMMITTEE DIGEST AUGUST 2021

ISSUE NO. 1

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND COLLABORATION PAGE 5

SELF-CARE

PRIORITIZING SELFCARE IN THE MIDST OF PANDEMIC WORK PAGE 7

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13TH DOCUMENTARY SERIES

REFLECTIVE DISCUSSIONS ON SYSTEMIC RACISM & THE IMPACT ON SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE PAGE 3

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES: MULTICULTURAL COMMITTEE Objective: To promote knowledge and understanding of a range of multicultural issues and their impact on student learning and overall social, cognitive and emotional development.

Furthermore, to increase awareness of how these multicultural issues impact our service delivery in the culturally diverse communities of Prince George's County.

Committee Goals:

To increase our knowledge base of current literature and research practices related to diagnosing disorders among minority children; To explore challenges in assessment, diagnosis, and interventions for minority children in an effort to inform best practices; To promote dialogue of multicultural issues affecting student learning and global development; To encourage awareness and sensitivity to our own cultural differences as well as that of the population that we serve; To increase awareness and sensitivity to the myriad of factors which specifically impact the cognitive and academic functioning among minority children; and In keeping with the school system's goal of "Strong Community Partnerships," to establish partnerships with local universities (Bowie State, Howard University, etc.) in an ongoing effort to impact minority graduate students entering the field of school psychology.

MULTICULTURALCOMMITTEEDIGEST

CONTENTS CHILD ADVOCATES * AGENTS OF CHANGE

02 EDITOR'S NOTE Prince George's County Public School System's Department of Psychological Services operates efficiently with psychologists serving on various committees. Here's a glimpse of what the Multicultural Committee has been doing since school started.

03 13TH DOCUMENTARY SERIES

Psychologists often have to ask difficult questions. This time, we led the charge in having challenging discussions, within our department, to better understand and be prepared to meet the needs of families in our school system.

COLLABORATION AMONG PROFESSIONALS 05 Constantly seeking and sharing knowledge, the multicultural committee responds by offering opportunities for further discussions on cultural sensitivity.

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9 TIPS FOR CULTURALLY SENSITIVE PRACTICE

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EXCLUSIVE!

WINTER EDITION OF THIS OR THAT QUIZ

12 COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mark Simms has been diligently serving as chair for the Multicultural Committee. We welcomed a new co-chair, Kelsie Reed. The work is growing and the committee is too!

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Working together with organizations to provide comprehensive services for children and families within our community.

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Prince George's County Public School System is one of the largest school systems in the country and is the second largest in the state.

We serve a diverse population of families.

SELF-CARE We have all felt the impact of all of the shifts to what normal looked like previously.

After putting in work, the selfcare committee took some time to relax with co-workers.

https://www.pgcps.org/ PsychologicalServices

1 AUGUST 2021 | ISSUE 01

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13 WHY DOES OUR WORK MATTER?

E D I T O R ' SWrittenN By: O TKiaEM. Haselrig-Oparah Multicultural Committee Digest

What a year 2020 has been!

Wouldn't you agree? As a nation, we have experienced change after change and 2020 is committed to bringing us more until the very end!

As school psychologists, we know that change does not have to always have to refer to something bad. Along with the bad, we've also had some wins!

The Department of Psychological Services has

been one department committed to bringing about radical effort in our work as agents of change for children and families!

The Multicultural Committee is over-the-moon excited to share what we have been up to since school started! We are even more inspired by our department's dedication to doing what we can to have difficult conversations, to dust off the skills we have

been longing to use in serving our schools, and answering the constant call to action!

School psychologists were made for moments like these and we are delighted to be on this journey together.

This issue provides a summary of the work the Multicultural Committee has been doing for the first quarter of the year as well as a glimpse of what's ahead. Enjoy!

13TH DOCUMENTARY SERIES Joint Contribution by the Data Collection Subcommittee

The Office of Psychological Services participated in a 3-day long workshop on systemic racism and police brutality. Each workshop involved psychologists viewing a segment of the 13th documentary and then breaking into small groups to engage in reflective discussion on the content.

Each breakout group was facilitated by two members of the Multicultural Committee who followed a structured protocol. Breakout groups were intentionally created by the Multicultural Committee to represent a diverse perspective of voices (e.g., number of years in the profession, race/ethnicity, age, etc.).By the end of the 3-day workshop, psychologists had watched the entire 13th documentary and engaged in approximately 3 hours of small group reflection and discussion.

The purpose of the anonymous questionnaire administered to all PGCPS school psychologists was to measure each person’s knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of racial inequality in America after viewing the 13th documentary, along with the ways in which such knowledge, awareness, and perceptions impact his or her work as a school psychologist. This is particularly important since, as school psychologists, we are expected to deliver equitable practices for diverse student populations (National Association of School Psychologists Practice Domain #8). National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Service Delivery Domain 8: Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations...“School psychologists recognize that equitable practices for diverse student populations, respect for diversity in development and learning, and advocacy for social justice are foundational to effective service delivery.”

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Thoughtful preparation for the 13th Documentary Series Guided Discussions.

CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION...

Contributed by the Tiffani Allen

AUGUST 2021 • ISSUE 1 • VOLUME 1

COLLABORATION AMONG PROFESSIONALS

In March, the Office of Psychological Services , Multicultural Committee had the pleasure of facilitating a dynamic and courageous conversation on issue of race, racism and social injustice, with over 125 professionals from the Offices of Pupil Personnel Services and Professional School Counseling. The team used the acclaimed 13th Documentary to explore bias, institutional racism, injustice and their potential impact when working with the students of Prince Georges County Public Schools.

Participants were able to reflect on both their personal and professional experiences of racism in a safe environment, learn from one another and brainstorm ways to improve in our professional practice and service delivery with students.

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COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Guest Speakers in Bowie State University's First Year School Psychology Program Class

Organized by Jacquelyn Gordon from the Community Partnerships Subcommittee

Mock interviews for Bowie State University's Second Year School Psychology Program Class Organized by Enid Amos from the Community Partnerships Subcommittee

9 TIPS FOR CULTURALLY SENSITIVE PRACTICE Contributed By: Tiffany Hughes from the Data Collection Subcommittee

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S E L F C A R E Organized By: Winifred Bedford from the Self-Care Subcommittee

The MCC engaged in a virtual self care activity to strengthen the collective group bond and minimize any residual activism fatigue symptoms related to facilitating a series of workshops focused on anti-racism. Current research suggests that self care plays a vital role in mental wellbeing for professionals who actively engage in social justice advocacy. The virtual bonfire provided committee members with opportunities for team based collaboration and celebrated individual differences.

VIRTUAL BON FIRE

FAMILY FEUD HOST: STEVIE HARVEY PLAYED BY LESLIE HOLSTON FROM THE SELF-CARE SUBCOMMITTEE

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BACKGROUND CONTEST WINNERS

SMILE!

THIS OR THAT? WINTER EDITION HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

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DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES: MULTICULTURAL COMMITTEE

Co-Chair: Mark Simms

New Co-Chair: Kelsie Reed

Yaya Abangma Celeste Henderson Paula Adair Vivian Higginbotham Tiffani Allen Leslie Holston Enid Amos Tiffany Hughes Winifred Bedford Angela Jenkins-Seriki Kristen Burley Jonathan Lasson Linda Gaskill Jasmyn Ledford DeAngelo Gatlin Jeff Reiser Nichole Glover Peggy Rose Jacquelyn Gordon Mary Ross-Gray Jenadra Harvey Melinda Thomas Kia Haselrig-Oparah Letisha Woods Subcommittees: Community Outreach Data Collection Self-Care Research

WHY DOES THIS WORK MATTER? WHO DO WE SERVE?

PGCPS is one of the nation’s 20th largest school districts in the United States and the second largest school system in Maryland.

SCHOOLS AND CENTERS: 208 STUDENT ENROLLMENT: 131,657 STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS: Hispanic: 47999, 36.46% American Indian / Alaska Native: 381, 0.29% Asian: 3637, 2.76% Black or African American: 72830, 55.32% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 264, 0.20% White: 4836, 3.67% Two or more races: 1710, 1.30% Free and Reduced Meals: 66.46% Special Education: 10.54% English Language Learners: 20.59% EMPLOYEES: 22,000 *All data on this page was obtained from https://www.pgcps.org/facts-and-figures/