Mission and Work

Building staff capacity to foster equitable, inclusive practices.

• Ongoing staff training: Culturally Responsive Teaching, Cultural Competency, Courageous Conversations, Equity
  • how to start staff/student conversations
  • religion
  • anti-bias
  • micro-aggressions
  • stereotypes
  • identity

• Courageous Conversation, LLC professional development series for Cabinet 

• Courageous Conversation, LLC professional development for all school district administrators

• Working with interpreters and translating documents until 2024. Now supported by Communications department

• Cultural Humility training

• Land Acknowledgement resources and PD

• Culturally Responsive Education (elementary and secondary staff) professional development by Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge

• LGBTQIA+ - Student and family supports and resources

Creating environments of belonging for students and meaningful partnerships with families.

• Counseling and Student Well-Being team joins the department (2023)

• Launch of Care Solace (2023) – districtwide access to mental health care and support student well-being

• Swedish Mental Health work

• Family Partnership Liaisons supporting schools and helping families understand and navigate our school system

• Cultural and Family Partnership Events - 10+ events held annually to help families understand and access programs and procedures in our district. Workshops provide support in Spanish, Chinese, and other languages.

• Collaborates with other departments to help families understand district work. Special Services, importance of attendance and reporting student conflict.

• Listening sessions and parent panels - hearing perspectives from families and students about their experiences within the district. 

• Family Partnership Advisory Group – (started in 2015) supports students' successes by supporting families. Meets 3 times annually

• Interpreter and translation services provided to promote relevant engagement opportunities with our diverse population, supporting district events and information nights until 2024. Translation devices purchased to assist in communicating with our linguistically diverse families. These services are now supported by our Communications department

• Support for families during vaccine clinics with language, technology and transportation barriers. Clinic for 5-11 year olds held at our Admin Building. Click for COVID-19 services provided  

• Back to School Resource Fair (2 day event 2024)  Ensuring that all students in our community are equipped with the essentials they need to start the new school year

• Community Advisory Board - community partners collaborating with us to help meet the basic needs of students and families.

• Supporting High School and Beyond Plan

• CTE (Career & Technical Education) Pathways - Supporting students preparing for a career of their choice.

• VOICE Mentor Program - provides positive connections with volunteer adults or high school students with student mentees from all grades.

• Student Summit - Black and Brown Excellence held 2025 - gathering of 70+ students celebrating their brillance, leadership and aspirations through connections, empowerment and inspiration.

Ensuring instructional materials and opportunities reflect and support all students.

• Equity Framework for Supplemental Curriculum and Non-Adopted materials as a guide for educators to provide a learning environment that is safe, welcoming and representative of our students (2022)

• Equity and Cultural Humility Framework for School/Class Parties (2023)

• Diverse Books collection in all K-5 school classrooms  (2022-23)

• Collaboration with Teaching & Learning Services on inclusive curriculum

• Instructional Materials Committee (IMC) work - review materials through an Equity lens

• Equity and Cultural Framework for Curriculum Adoptions

• Culturally Responsive Education Residency Programs with Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge for selected elementary and secondary certificated staff. Three day workshops on building a culturally responsive classroom (2023-24)

• School counselors aligning student outcome goals to close the opportunity gaps

Hiring and retaining diverse, culturally competent staff.

• Ongoing support at hiring events

• Professional development and resources for newly hired staff

• Ongoing professional development on Equity and Cultural Competency

• Nakia Academy - mentoring and leadership academy created by and for BIPOC educators

• Educators of Color Leadership Community (ECLC) - 3 year program providing professional development and leadership opportunities

• Affinity spaces for staff

Embedding equity across all district systems.

• Equity Building Leads in every school (established 2020-21)

• Equity Frameworks

• Creation of Equity Advisory Committee (2022)

• OE-16 Executive Limitation (Board-adopted policy guiding equity work)

• Equity and Cultural Competency professional development offered to all staff 

• Cross departmental collaboration on key initiatives focused on Equity (Universal Design for Learning, MTSS, equitable budgeting practices, and student supports)