Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

December 2022

Building Awareness During the Holiday Season

Grateful. The first word that comes to our team’s mind when it comes to our partners, stakeholders and readership is grateful.

There is so much research out there regarding gratitude. While we are grateful for you, we encourage you to think about all of the things you are grateful for during the upcoming winter break. Our team is also big on sharing “flowers” with people who’ve gone out of their way to impact others. If someone comes to mind and brings a smile to your face, don’t ever hesitate to reach out and let them know. We all work hard every single day. Sometimes, that small bit of encouragement can help us keep going.

Many have counted down the days (some even the hours) until the upcoming break with excitement and anticipation. While many are excited, we can’t forget that others struggle around this time. This can be based on a loss that’s been endured in the past or trauma. This also can be because there is anticipated struggle. Will I have enough to eat when I really depend on meals from school? Will I be safe when I rely on the educators at my school to help me remain safe or look out for me during the week?

There are other things to consider as well. Some celebrate the upcoming winter break with giving and receiving gifts, while this is not necessarily everyone’s custom. The nuances of what many consider the “holiday season” underscores the importance of becoming culturally responsive. We should bear in mind, in diverse student populations, there will be some who are not observing any of the holidays or observing holidays in very different ways. To make sure we are being culturally responsive in the classroom and school environment, please continue to keep the focus on teaching, learning and psychological well-being. Stress the fundamental importance of a learning community that exemplifies belonging, mutual trust and respect through co-learning, shared objectives and high expectations as conditions for deeper learning.

Skip Cleavinger, regional coordinator at Green River Regional Education Cooperative, has provided these resources for more on becoming inclusive and culturally responsive during the holidays. Check them out! 

Equity Playbook Spotlight

Boone County Schools takes great pride in their mission of Achieving Excellence Together. With a rich history of high achievement, quality teaching and efficient operations, Boone County Schools are helping to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s world.

Boone County has seen growth in the diversity of their student population, with 1 out of every 4 students now being a student of color (from 15% in 2014 to 25% in 2022). As diverse communities grow, Boone County educators are participating in the equity playbook to expand their knowledge on equitable practices to support their students.

Boone County has two high schools, two middle schools and three elementary schools participating in Kentucky's Equity Playbook. At the center of the Equity Playbook is personalized executive coaching for each participant. Research shows that coaching is one of the most effective approaches to improving student achievement (Kraft, Blazar and Hogan, 2018). The seminal work of Joyce and Showers (2002) found that coaching resulted in higher transference of knowledge than other types of professional support.

Participants in the Equity Playbook receive personalized coaching as well as gain coaching skills to help coach others in their school/district. Ryle High School Principal Matt Shafer discusses his excitement to use the tools learned in the Equity Playbook to grow and empower others in his building to do the same. Please check out the Equity Playbook video from Boone County.

There are still opportunities for new districts to sign on to participate in Kentucky’s Equity Playbook for cohort 3, which begins in the fall of 2023. To sign up, email Damien Sweeney and Florence Chang.

Crowned: Empowering Youth to Overcome Conference

Nicole Fields, Ed.D., Community Engagement Coordinator at the Kentucky Department of Education's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Team, pictured after receiving two paintings by students at the Crowned Empowering Youth to Overcome Conference

Maryhurst Academy State Agency School (Jefferson County) hosted its first annual Crowned, Empowering Youth to Overcome Conference. The conference was created to educate, empower, motivate and inspire the students at Maryhurst Academy.

The conference allowed the girls to channel a sense of belonging and raise their awareness of self-worth. Maryhurst was very excited to host an empowerment conference for their students, many of whom had to overcome trauma leaving them feeling powerless and hopeless. To help with this, Maryhurst staff used speakers from their community to facilitate sessions on topics such as peer pressure, self-image, self-respect, self-worth, bullying and overcoming fears and challenges.

"The students are limited to their interactions with others while they are undergoing treatment here, so to create and share the 'Crowned' conference with them weighed heavily on our hearts and was something we have wanted to let them experience for years now," said School Counselor McElroy stated.

Maryhurst staff wanted these students to know that they are important, valued and just how much they matter. Another goal was to remind these students that they are worthy of self-love and love from others just as they are and that they should never define themselves by their past. 

The conference was aligned with the mission and vision of Jefferson County's State Agency Schools and Maryhurst, which is to strengthen and empower students with the greatest needs, as well as provide all students with a diverse opportunity within a safe, collaborative and student-centered environment where they can develop, socially, emotionally and academically.

“We (state agency schools in JCPS) ensure students get every opportunity afforded to them while they are with us," McElroy said. "Although the school is a residential facility, we aim to give them an educational experience that rivals any other state program.”

The students were very appreciative of the conference speakers and to demonstrate their appreciation, the students drew canvas portraits and presented them to the conference speakers.

'BEyond The Chargers' Podcast - Elevating Student Voice

The podcast team: Mason Wright, Isabella Wade, Alyssa Nourtsis, Fay Anderson, Makayla Whitehouse and Joel Walser

Bullitt East High School (BEHS) students are using their voices and have created a podcast called "BEyond The Chargers" podcast. This podcast will focus on high school-related topics and the BEHS community.

With the assistance of their media marketing teacher, Fay Anderson, as the lead and a generous donation of equipment from a parent, the podcast began.

"Isabella's father (Wade) donated a large amount (about $9,000) to our business department and we were able to purchase TVs, additional tables and things that we needed to make our classroom look a little more business oriented," Anderson said. "We do have parents and those businesses in the community that will provide because they want their students to be successful."

The podcast seeks to uplift students, staff and community voices in and around Bullitt County. Student Isabella Wade said the podcast is building more inclusivity,

"Bullitt East is such a small community, but this community is all I know," she said. "There are a lot of people who are very inclusive and accepting of others. So, I think that we can tie that in with our podcast by, you know, talking about like the Multicultural club or people who are coming in as supports for students, because we do have foreign exchange students here at the school."

Check out the "BEyond The Chargers" podcast on Spotify. 

KDE DEIB Team Highlights and Upcoming Events

• Nov. 1: DEIB Team provided training to Marion County counselors
• Nov. 3: DEIB Team provided equity dashboard training at the Family Resource Youth Service Center Fall Institute
• Nov. 10: DEIB Team visited Bullitt East High School "BEyond The Chargers" podcast Team (Bullitt County)
• Nov. 11: DEIB Team presented at Women of Worth Elementary Conference (Jefferson County)
• Nov. 17: DEIB Team helped to implement Equity Playbook at Conway Middle (Jefferson County)
• Nov. 18: DEIB Team presented the "Equity Playbook and Cultivating Opportunity" at the Kentucky Association of School Administrators Conference
• Dec. 6: DEIB Team presented to Statewide Counseling Cadre
• Dec. 13: DEIB Team provided mental health check-in with Commissioner's Student Advisory Council
• Dec. 16: DEIB Team helped with 8th-grade backpack defenses at Noe Middle (Jefferson County)
• Jan. 10-12: DEIB Team will visit Paducah Tilghman High School to see their Student Equity Advisory Council at work
• Jan. 12-13: DEIB Team will launch the Kentucky Equity Playbook Cohort 2 at the Kentucky Education Development Corporation
• Jan. 17: DEIB Team will joins the statewide Family Resource Youth Services Centers (FRYSCs) Equity Team Meeting
• Jan. 24: DEIB Team will join Commissioner's Student Advisory Council
• Jan. 26: DEIB Team will host District DEIB Coordinators' Meeting