Earlier this year, the New York State Education Department launched a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative for school districts across the state. The initiative’s goal is to build a foundation of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, opportunity, innovation, trust, respect, caring, and relationship-building among students, faculty and staff. Beginning this summer, Schuylerville Central School District took some initial planning steps, with the administrative team beginning to think through its common language and understanding of diversity and inclusion in schools. To build awareness and celebrate diversity in our K-12 buildings for the 2021-22 school year, several months will have specific focuses. Hispanic Heritage, National Native American, Black History, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Women’s History, among others, will be celebrated and recognized.
Information for each month includes:
- An overview of the monthly celebration
- Facts and history about the monthly celebration
- Famous or influential people related to the monthly celebration
- Cultural elements and contributions related to the monthly celebration
To begin this initiative, the district will be recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The month honors the cultures and contributions of Americans who identify as Hispanic or Latino/Latina/Latinx, as well as how those communities have influenced and contributed to the American society at large.
Schuylerville teachers and staff will be supported throughout each of the recognition months with various shared resources they can use in their lesson plans, student conversations, and classroom environments.
Resources available for flexible use include:
- Websites, videos and books
- Images for hallway televisions
- Online library resources
We look forward to continuing to celebrate and strengthen awareness of the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in our school community.