Equity Update
The district’s REAL Coalition has 55 participants representing administrators, staff, students, families, and community members who are tasked with spreading the word about the district’s equity work. The REAL Coalition emphasizes the importance of student voice and is learning to model skills taught in the NHS course “Courageous Conversations On Race.” Meeting three times in the 2023-2024 school year, the participants addressed challenges; deepened their understanding of issues related to race, equity, access, and leadership; and checked in on district progress in six goal areas. With these goals in mind, the district is committed to embedding equity in what we do every day and for the long term.
PROGRESS ON 6 GOAL AREAS IN SUPPORT OF EQUITY
1. Policies and Practices
New guidance is included within the Student Handbook that explains how the district will be responsive to acts of bias or discrimination, both holding students accountable for behavior that is injurious to others and supporting their individual growth and learning. In addition, a revised Memorandum of Understanding details the role of the Needham Police and School Resource Officers (SRO) in our schools, allowing us to prioritize student safety. Also in the 2023-2024 school year, the district fully funded summer programs and transportation for at-risk students. For the Middle School Genders & Sexualities Alliance (student club), the district provided a safe space for students and a stipend for their Club Advisor.
2. Curriculum and Instruction
The district continues to work on strengthening equity practices in curriculum development and implementation. We are monitoring the percent of 11th & 12th graders in Advanced Courses and identifying disproportionality that needs to be addressed.
A mentorship program, designed to disrupt or reduce unconscious bias, is providing a transformative leadership opportunity for our high school students. "Mentors Like Me" partners student mentors from the Castle Program and Black Student Union with Pollard students so they can discuss shared experiences, particularly in relation to race.
Amid world conflict, families expressed concern about antisemitism and Islamophobia. Consistent with State Curriculum Frameworks in Social Studies and English Language Arts, the district continues to provide strong curriculum-based programs that provide developmentally appropriate instruction on religions in grades 7-12.
3. Professional Learning
In the 2023-2024 school year, professional learning focused on equity, with an emphasis on universally designed and culturally responsive teaching practices. Sixty District Leaders engaged in a semester-long Equity Centered Leadership course offered by William James College. Over 20 staff were trained in restorative justice and practices. Dozens of staff continued to take courses on equity, inclusion and anti-racist practices through the IDEAS Initiative. Instructional coaches provided support through an equity lens.
4. Hiring and Employment Practices
All students deserve equitable access to diverse and qualified educators and school leaders. A robust recruitment strategy is in place to diversify our staff which resulted in an increase in the number of staff of color in the 2023-2024 school year, up from 10.5% in the previous year to 11.9%. We continued to partner with the Town in our retention efforts, co-hosting the affinity group “Stronger Together” for BIPOC Staff, and a new affinity group for LGBTQ staff was launched.
5. Culture and Climate
We continued to assess culture and climate and address the need for all students to feel a sense of belonging in school. School-based restorative practices were piloted to create a culture of connectivity where all members of the school community feel valued. The district participated in the Needham Resilience Network to advocate on behalf of the schools and build connections among community groups. In addition, the district sponsored a Community Conversations on Race with a focus on learning from NHS student leaders. The increase in school community multicultural events, Unified Sports, Student Unions, clubs like SAFE (Students Advocating for Equity), and programs like Pollard’s Students Take Action Day directly address the need to strengthen our school cultures and ensure the climate empowers learners.
6. Communication and Community Engagement
The communication hub for the ongoing equity work is on the district website. Reach out to the REAL Steering Committee with questions and feedback. Members of the REAL Coalition partner with METCO, SEPAC, ELPAC, Needham Human Rights Committee, among other dedicated and caring community supporters.
What’s Next for REAL?
There were times over the past school year that some students didn’t feel they belonged because of their race, their learning style, their religion or sexual orientation. Sometimes their classmates were mean to them and the adults in our schools may not have responded as fully or as quickly as we should have. We recognize the need for continuous improvement. In particular, we will work on policies and practices that have a positive impact on students’ day-to-day experiences and develop systems that support consistent implementation and ongoing measurement of equitable learning. With the REAL Coalition as our ambassadors, we will spread the word about the district’s equity work.