Equity & Inclusion

• Transition from Task Force to Oversight
• Historical overview by Jason, highlighting the importance of new and continuing members.
• Emphasis on the board's explicit directive to create and maintain the committee.
  Clarification on the committee's public nature and challenges faced with social media misconceptions.
• Annual revisions of the guiding document and action plan.
• Jason encouraged members to provide feedback and engage with the website for better community understanding.
• Detailed discussion on the 2023-24 action plan, focusing on:
  • Student wellbeing and equity.
  • Reading Benchmark Assessment and interventions for students below grade level.
  • Achievement growth goals and maintaining high standards for all students.
  • Professional development focusing on culturally responsive teaching and inclusion.
  • Responsive campus and community initiatives.
  • Trauma support strategies, including support animals for student reassurance.
  • Multitiered System of Support effectiveness.
  • Personalized Learning initiatives and program mapping for holistic student support.
• Housekeeping
• Roles assigned: Recorder (Kelley Bell), Time Keeper (Anu Boyd), Communications (Jonathan Zaleski), Assemblies (Ms. Andria).
• Discussion on new and existing projects, including mural initiatives and inclusive art displays.
• Proposed Norms
• Emphasis on constructive and respectful dialogue.
• Encouragement for open communication and addressing biases.
• Equity Dashboard
• Request for feedback on the clarity and simplicity of the information presented on the dashboard.
• Program Feedback & Brainstorm
• Focus on culturally responsive practices, trauma support, small group instruction, and personalized learning.
• Exploration of new assembly ideas and learning strategies.
• Next Steps
• Implementing and monitoring the progress of the action plan.
• Further discussions on program feedback and culturally responsive practices.
• Ongoing review and adaptation of committee strategies and objectives.

Spring 2023

• The E&I Committee completed its work and review of data analysis by April 2023, including a new mural proposal, reading data analysis and continued investment in anti-bullying/wellness resources. 
• The E&I Action Plan was approved by the committee in May-June and presented to the Board of Education in July. 
• For more details, please review meeting minutes at the bottom of this webpage. 

January-February  

• Committee reviewed the "Sold a Story" podcast about reading instruction in US schools.  The podcast depicts several families' struggles with special needs and how reading is taught.
  • School psychologist Ashley Schwenn and Principal Overbeck discussed the difficulty of teaching reading and how individual needs of students with learning disabilities varies greatly.
  • Ashley mentioned that a hermosa perschool has finally been approved, which will help tremendously with early reading intervention.
• Review of district goal progress- students are slightly below benchmarks from last year
• Administrators once again walked Committee through the Tier 1-3 Intervention process and mentioned desire to focus on utilizing these tiers even more going forward.
• Culturally Responsive Campuses - Committee discussed current plans for schoolwide themes and assemblies in addition to brainstorming how to best and further acknowledge black history month, women's history, inclusion, the Earth, Community Safety, and Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage.

• Desire to keep students feeling safe and accepted at school—by both staff and other students.  Ideas included:
  
  • Safe space signs (classrooms where students can go for help and support) for staff who are willing to opt in
  • Gender neutral bathrooms being identified at Valley
  • Professional development for staff on value of pronoun identification
  • Reading assessment data from 2021-22 and 2022-23 and academic suppport for student
• Dr. Johnson walked members through the test data, while Principal Overbeck discussed how the test is administered and the teacher's role during the test. 
• Overall reading scores are good, but conversation included how to best support those who do not meet grade level standards.  
• SST committees are following up with these students and determining what tier of support is needed based on individual cases.
  • Kelley Bell explained the current support structures in place for middle school students, such as math and language arts interventions with teachers prior to start of school year for 6-8th grade students and after school intervention for 5th graders. We have math clinic available for 6-8th graders twice each week in addition to several teachers offering lunch time and after school support.
  • Elementary also has before or after school support available and then small group instruction in classrooms.
  • Jen Cole mentioned need for teachers to freceive more training on the Tier 1-3 intervention/support process and how to best use the testing data we have.

November

• The Committee discussed middle school math testing and programs and considered iReady and Eureka Math for K-8.
• Discussed culturally responsive practices specific to middle school.
• Student alumna mentioned bringing back the USC Trojans athletes/coaches for fitness assemblies. She thought they were a lot of fun and very interactive.
• Group members discussed RUN/Hide/Fight drills and how to support students in managing anxiety surrounding these drills.  Brainstorming included designated ‘safe spaces’ at schools where students can speak privately to a teacher and a Puppy Program where puppies can be brought to classrooms to provide emotional support and comfort to younger students.
• Discussed strategies for academic support and intervention and creating a culture of academic acceptance/differences in our schools. Ideas circulated included adding more tutorial offerings, providing office hours with teachers, evaluating how reading levels are discussed and announced in classrooms, continuing focus on social-emotional wellness, and evaluating how teachers communicate corrections and feedback on school work.
• The Committee also brainstormed parent strategies for supporting their children academically: offering help, asking for help, creating a home environment where kids can focus and get quiet, familiarizing themselves and students with resources available, and how to best manage pressure and comparison with other students.

• Historical review of the E & I Committee, which was born out of the Equity Task Force recommendations from the 2020-2021 school year.
• The Committee Action Plan for 2022-2023, which was approved by the school board over the summer, and its 10 objectives:

1. Equity & Inclusion Committee monthly meetings and review of programs and data
2. F & P Benchmark Assessment: implement F & P reading assessment system for grades TK-5 and build staff expertise in reading instruction and parent education to support
3. Panorama Assessment: implement the Panorama survey (bi-annual) for grades 3-8, staff, and parents to assess equity, inclusion, and diversity outcomes.  Discussed need for fewer surveys and ones packed with most punch.
4. Tri Benchmark System: maintain and evaluate data from various assessments in core subjects with the goal of moving toward more personalized learning
5. Equity Dashboard: Publicly monitor progress toward E & I goals
6. Professional Development: develop culturally aware and responsive classrooms through UCLA Center X training and consultation; for example, are teachers 'reading the room' and holding that in mind when teaching? Student surveys will be an important gauge here, and students can let us know if they feel that they're learning in a safe space.
7. Responsive Campuses: align schoolwide programs/themes/assemblies with cultural awareness and in collaboration with the Committee; incorporating monthly cultural themes into classroom is a work in progress for staff, and student Committee members offered suggestions on making themes more prominent, such as playing music from each highlighted culture, etc.
8. Trauma Support: develop staff capacity to support students in response to traumatic events which affect students on and off campus (such as world news events, suicide training, etc)
9. Small Group Instruction: implement small group instruction to reduce the percentage of students performing below grade level, specifically targeting students with special needs, ESL students, and students with socio-emotional needs.
10. Personalized Learning: explore opportunities for personalized learning and cultivating deeper student engagement

• Discussion of an end of year culminating Committee project (mural?) and assignment of subcommittee leaders, such as group project, communications, meeting minutes, assemblies, etc.
• The E & I Committee will next meet on October 18, 2022.

• Superintendent Johnson provided an explanation of the Healthy Kids survey while Principal Tanita noted that the Panorama survey gives more actionable data.
• Meaningful participation is a new measure on the Healthy Kids survey. Hermosa numbers are actually higher than average for the state.
• Committee members expressed concern over 18% of Hermosa children reporting seeing a weapon at school and school safety concerns ranking higher than expected on the Vista staff survey. Superintendent Johnson and Principal Tanita posited that a) it’s not clear how weapon is defined on the survey and b) that staff safety concerns are likely due to a few isolated, severe student behavioral issues that have now been addressed.
• Principal Tanita described the SEL curriculum to the group. The counselors at both sites are creating Screencastify videos to make the lessons accessible to all classes. Classroom teachers also use mindfulness lessons from Mind Up.
• The Committee discussed Colonial Day and the fifth grade’s decision to rename the event and brainstormed about upcoming traditions in the district that may need some advance attention and discussion. Could we have some period clothing “loaners” for children who would like to participate, but do not have the means or support? This group will continue looking at these events through the equity lens.
• The Committee reviewed Panorama survey results
  • Discussed reducing frequency of survey and reviewed a topline of the results
  • Learned that Behavior/Social Skills Training and Social Circles training helps develop school readiness for youngest students
  • Staff had requested more support for students who have skill gaps from being out of school due to Covid19.
• Reviewed LGBTQ+ & Campus Support
  • What support are we offering for students who identify as LBGTQ+? Not enough specific supports in place yet for students 
  • Identified need to speak with members of LBGTQ+ community for ideas; need to look at our policies; PE uniforms; changing rooms; parental support; staff support; looking at other schools to understand the work that has been done; language of understanding; having a safe environment/club/affinity groups; when do you ask re: identity pronouns
  • Identified need to observe what other middle schools are doing- and what is the developmentally appropriate age to introduce policy/language, etc.?
• Superintendent Johnson asked whether a Ukraine response is necessary from the district.
  • Do we consider a response due to traumatic events happening in the media and remind parents and students of the supports that the community provides? 
  • Is it appropriate to respond to the crisis in Ukraine despite not responding to other world conflicts (e.g. Syria, Ethiopia)
  • Looking at what conversation has been happening in Middle School
• The Committee brainstormed E&I Action Plans and Next Steps
  • Looking at some of the additions for next year- or changes?
  • Building on the foundation that equity work benefits all students by fostering community, creating space for respectful dialog, and building more lifelong skills

• Brief review of Equity Dashboard and Goals 
• Committee member and MCHS student Eva Asiddao described school/Dr. Gerger response to recent MCHS incident where swastika stickers and anti-Semitic epithets were found on campus. Committee members posed questions and examined appropriate response options. 
• Brainstormed various ways of teaching/working toward tolerance, including Museum of Tolerance field trips, tools for educators (suggestion was made to review ADL website), and empowering students to speak up and out
• Discussed need to update Safety/Crisis Response, which currently focuses on fire drills. Fire is no longer a strong threat to schools, while active shooter drills are now more necessary. Superintendent Johnson discussing revisions with local first response authorities. 
• Committee heard update/notes on Culturally Responsive Practices Professional Development with Dr. Orange. Umbrella term of equity simply means finding opportunities for student engagement via the different lenses each has, honoring individual learning styles, and creating space for participation. 
  Dr. Orange receiving high marks from our teaching staff—4 out of 5 via survey. 
• Committee member and 4th grade teacher Jen Cederquist took Committee through example of how the Responsive Specialist team gave staff tools for teaching during Black History month via book titles and art history lessons. 
• Committee urged to brainstorm assembly/guest speaker ideas.