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Building comm unity

Building comm unity. Annual Report to Board of Education Director of Student & Community Engagement, September 2014. Checking in to the conversation. People who only know me from BoE/Bexley would describe me as…. People who only know me outside of BoE/Bexley would describe me as….

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Building comm unity

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  1. Building community Annual Report to Board of Education Director of Student & Community Engagement, September 2014

  2. Checking in to the conversation People who only know me from BoE/Bexley would describe me as… People who only know me outside of BoE/Bexley would describe me as… One piece of feedback I’ve received related to my “authentic self” is (that I was/am)… People who know me well are able to bring out the best in me, such as…

  3. Key findings from 2012 chair academy conference People who know me authentically think more positively of me (68%+, 20%-) People who don’t know me authentically think more negatively of me (35%+, 41%-) People who know me best get the BEST out of me If educators struggle to navigate code switching, identity and esteem as adults, how can we expect our students to manage these same issues WITHOUT social-emotional support and expect them to perform excellently?

  4. Defining non-academic barriers of students

  5. Student voices on health, wellness & safety • 10 Things We KNOW (Now) • 1+ out of 10 of our students is culturally diverse (and that # WILL increase) • Over 200 of our students live below the poverty line • At least 180 of our students have a documented disability • Nearly 90% of our students are engaged in some extra/co-curricular activity Only 18% of those students are culturally diverse • Just ½ of our students believe they can resist drugs, alcohol and sex • Significant differences showed up between the developmental assets of white BCSD students as compared to culturally diverse BCSD students • Over 200 of our students have an IEP • Minimum of 13 BCSD families experienced extreme trauma in 2013 – 2014 • Only 5% of BCSD employees are culturally diverse Nearly ½ of them are custodial staff • 2 culturally diverse BCSD teachers on the secondary level in 2013 – 2014

  6. Student voices on health, wellness & safety • Peer pressure transitions from playground dares in ES to drugs, alcohol and sex by MS • Bullying presents itself as exclusion, rumors/gossip and coarse language • Social media is not an issue until MS, specifically Twitter and Snap Chat • A population at great risk of risky behavior due to poor coping skills are GATE students • Mental health issues showing up as lack of coping skills and home dysfunction • Students prefer to be actively engaged with adults via interests vs. passive space sharing • Students have concerns about teachers’ competence, attentiveness and awareness about student, playground and classroom safety and safe space creation • MS/HS student behavior and Bexley “outsider” events have heightened ES student stranger danger • Students are aware of adults protecting them from consequences and edgy, accurate information • Students are trying to create and enforce their own safe spaces instead of entrusting adults

  7. Student voices on health, wellness & safety • What We DON’T Know • How many students attempt suicide • How many students are cutting • How many students actually drink and/or use drugs • How many students have been sexually assaulted • How many students are currently in recovery from an addiction • The WHYs… We have not yet had THESE conversations uncensored and openly WITH students …so how can we create INFORMED solutions for their problems?

  8. Student voices on identity & code-switching

  9. Student voices on support systems

  10. Student voices on bias and stereotyping

  11. Student voices on language and climate

  12. The real issues - unveiled Safe, Welcoming and Inclusive Community Implicit Bias Mental Health (including trauma) Empathy, Compassion (and Neuroscience)

  13. The rocky road ahead

  14. School Climate under construction • Challenges to expect IF we choose to respond to the real issues • Messy processes and uncomfortable dialogue • Negative adult feedback to leadership and BoE re: subject matter • Decrease in disciplinary sanctions (e.g. suspensions) • Slow progress to gain trust of youth and young adults • Hindsight information on matters that may irreparable • Unpleasant feedback/awareness about ourselves and colleagues • …And RESPECT, TRUST, RELATIONSHIPS & COLLABORATION

  15. Dynamic tension

  16. Community building plans for 2014 - 2015

  17. Real responses to real issues Safe, welcoming and inclusive community Differentiated & Pro-Social Learning Options Implicit Bias Culturally Responsive Initiatives Empathy, Compassion and Neuroscience Professional Development Mental Health (including trauma) B3 System of Care

  18. B3 system of care

  19. Proactive & reactive support • Elementary Prevention Program • Cool Parent Network • Pre/Teen Learning Community • Weekly Teen Recovery Meeting • School-based mental health professional

  20. Differentiated & pro-social learning options

  21. Options for creativity & advocacy • YGB Experiential Learning Program • Weekly Spoken Word Open Mic • Improvisation Club • Hip Hop Institute (Club)*

  22. Culturally responsive initiatives

  23. Affirming engagement • Cultural heritage and history month initiatives • Hispanic Heritage Month • Black History Month • Women’s Herstory Month • Jewish American Heritage Month • LGBT Pride Month • World Cafés and other forms of dialogue sessions

  24. Professional development

  25. Adult awareness, empathy & compassion • Pono Learning Community • Staff In-Service • Faculty and Staff Safe Space Development • School Climate Committee • Family and Civic Engagement Committee

  26. Wrapping up

  27. Reminder: No one’s immune to barriers People who only know me from BoE/Bexley would describe me as… People who only know me outside of BoE/Bexley would describe me as… One piece of feedback I’ve received related to my “authentic self” is (that I was/am)… People who know me well are able to bring out the best in me, such as…

  28. How BoE can support this work SAFE, WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY effortsshowing up by seeking student stories for BoE meetings Regular IMPLICIT BIAS “unpacking”, even in BoE meetings Consider studentMENTAL HEALTH (INCLUDING TRAUMA) when shaping district engagement, curriculum and policies BoE representation at trainings and/or conversations about EMPATHYAND COMPASSION

  29. FINAL WORDS ON BUILDING COMMUNITY “Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible - the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.” – Virginia Satir, American Psychologist and Educator

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