The Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (PMAC)

1. “Educators have a tremendous responsibility not only to know what the academic needs of their students are, but also to know what the social climate is in their school, because they are not unrelated.” Beverly Daniel Tatum, President, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia

2. The Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (PMAC)

3. PMAC School Board Mandate • Students have the right to attend a school where all ethnic and cultural heritages are welcomed and respected. To ensure this environment, each school will create a Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee.

4. What is the Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee program and why is it mandated by the school board?

5. PMAC History… • In August of 1990, PCS implemented a Biracial and Multicultural Awareness Program in all middle and high schools to promote positive human relations in schools.

6. In 1991, PCS and the PMAC program began its partnership with Community Tampa Bay, formerly the National Conference for Community and Justice.

7. The centerpiece of the program was the formation of secondary school-based Bi-racial Advisory Committees which soon became multicultural committees to be more inclusive. Skyview Elementary PMAC Leadership Team 09-10

8. By August of 2004, the PCS school board mandated that every school site would have an active PMAC program in response to the results of a student inclusion survey .

9. As a mandated program, PMAC provides students with a formal structure to explore issues and concerns, to build relationships based on increased cultural understanding, and to develop leadership skills.

10. PMAC Membership Guidelines: Both at the secondary and elementary levels, the committee should be balanced by gender and grade level, and represent a cross-section of the racial, religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds of the students at the school.

11. Responsibilities of the Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (secondary level) • A) Act as an advisory group to the principal • B) Engage in a facilitative dialogue about diversity centered concerns, and make recommendations to the principal

12. C) Promote multicultural activities and programs school-wide • D) Learn and implement conflict resolution and mediation skills

13. E) Provide service to school and community • F) Improve school climate

14. As part of the Civic Virtue program initiated by the Teaching and Learning Division this year, the PMAC program works closely with Community Tampa Bay Character Education Bullying Prevention

15. In November 2007, the PMAC program received the Rose-Duhon Multicultural Program of the Year award from the National Association of Multicultural Education.

16. The PMAC program provides an established strategy, the school-based multicultural committee, to empower students to improve the culture and climate of their schools. This strategy could assist schools address the National School Climate Standards and the mission of the PCS Middle School Reform both of which contain language of the mandate.

17. The National School Climate Standards charge schools to create an environment where all members are welcomed, supported, and feel safe in school: socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically.

18. Middle School Reform • Mission: Pinellas County Middle Schools will engage students in meaningful instruction by creating a safe and respectful learning environment to build community and a sense of belonging for all students.

19. PMAC School Board Mandate • Students have the right to attend a school where all ethnic and cultural heritages are welcomed and respected. To ensure this environment, each school will create a Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee.

20. What are the Guiding Principles for the PMAC program?

21. To make multicultural activities, inclusion and an appreciation of diversity the norm from the beginning of children’s school experience.

22. To integrate multicultural activities fully into the school curriculum, rather than restricting them to one shot or culture of the month sessions.

23. To involve all students in multicultural activities, not just students belonging to minority cultural groups.

24. To provide the training and materials needed to deliver high-quality multicultural education activities;

25. To communicate respect for cultural plurality by recognizing and responding positively to differences in cultures and learning styles.

26. To encourage and value administrative and community support of the PMAC program and multicultural goals.

27. To achieve LEVEL IV in Multicultural Education: The Social Action Approach: Students and teachers make decisions on important social issues and take action to address them. (Students and teachers engage in the decision making process in their schools and communities in meaningful ways)

28. Where you will find us…. www.pcsb.org Under Parents and Students/Academics/Multicultural Committee E-learningCenter Under Offices and departments/social studies/Principal’s Multicultural Advisory committee OUTLOOK/all public folders/PMAC Community Tampa Bay 568-9333 http://www.communitytampabay.org/ Bullying Prevention: fenechc@pcsb.org Character Education: gallinav@pcsb.org

29. PMAC Leadership Team (Kerry Giordano, Marcia Reybitz, Cindy Flora, Andrea Wilkins, and Melissa Porter)