|
By: Hedreich Nichols
Recent events have shaken me to my core, and the nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd suggest that people across the country are similarly shaken. These are dark times, but if there’s anything that seems like a glimmer of light to me at the moment, it’s the fact that so many teachers are reflecting on how to fight racism:
“I’m a White educator, Where do I start?" “How can I help?," “What if I get it wrong?”
To find out how you can do more read the full article here...
|
Leadership Team Activities Care Package
Doua Kha, Student Behavior Support Program Supervisor, OSPI
Do you want your team to take a deeper look at supporting antiracist school climate practices? We’ve crafted activities that take 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 90 minutes for you! Take a look at data, toolkits, reflection questions, and more. Check out this month’s Care Package.
The Enduring Relevance of Holocaust Education
Akiva Erezim, Program Specialist, Holocaust Education Liaison, OSPI
The relevance of Holocaust Education is made clear by so much of what is happening around us in today’s world. The rates of antisemitism are at record-breaking numbers (the highest ever in the US since they have been recorded).Violent acts are commonplace toward Jews of every sort, and those who simply “appear Jewish”, and especially the most visibly Jewish (i.e., religious/Hasidim, etc.) within the community.
Racism, racial inequalities, and direct violence towards non-WASP communities, continues to affect our society, in education, but also every other sector of society. A decrease in liberal values, those ideals that contribute to a free and open society, is becoming the norm. Individuals and organizations across political, religious, and other domains, are silencing democratic dialogues, critical conversations, and discourse on controversial subject matters.
All of this leaves one to ask: What can be done? Holocaust Education addresses each of these issues and more. Continue reading...
|
School Safety, Bullying, and Harassment
RCW 28A.320.185 requires all public-school districts and public schools to have current safety plans and procedures in place. State legislators, the Governor, the state education agency, local schools and communities, and parents recognize that students must feel safe at school to be successful learners. Effective school safety plans that include bullying and harassment prevention programs challenge traditional cultural norms that might condone bullying as a normal part of growing up. Please explore the School Climate Questions on the 2021 Healthy Youth Survey.
2021 PK–21 LRE Data Platform
The 2021 PK–21 Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Data Platform is now available. This data platform was designed to provide district and building staff access to unsuppressed, building-level special education demographic and placement data, to support program analysis and data-informed decision making. District Special Education Directors can download the LRE Data Platform in the 2022–23 federal fund application, iGrants Form Package 267. Other school, district, and ESD staff can email specialeddata@k12.wa.us to request access.
We have also posted multi-year trend data for LRE, by school district, for PreK and K-12. Download the LRE trend data by school district.
|
|
|
The Intersection of Race and Disabilities
Explore the different topics in these Listening Sessions, which highlight stories about the intersection of race and disabilities with parents across the nation.
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Guidance on Schools’ Obligations to Protect Students from Student-on-Student Harassment on the Basis of Sex; Race, Color and National Origin; and Disability—Dear Colleague Letter concerning schools’ obligations to protect students from student-on-student harassment on the basis of sex; race, color and national origin; and disability. The letter clarifies the relationship between bullying and discriminatory harassment, provides examples of harassment, and illustrates how a school should respond in each case.
Equity in Education
The PSESD has developed the Equity in Education department to work collaboratively with regional partners to provide each and every student with equitable access to educational opportunities by enhancing and supporting racially equitable and culturally responsive approaches among staff, students, parents and communities. Access their Racial Equity Toolkit here.
-
Learning for Justice, Responding to Hate and Bias in School—This guidance outlines steps a school district should take before a crisis occurs, when there’s a crisis, and after the worst is over.
-
Anti-defamation League (ADL), No Place for Hate Incident Response Guide—includes best practices and strategies to respond to bias incidents in middle or high schools. Includes education on specific incidents, including incidents related to antisemitism, racism, anti-immigrant bias (xenophobia), anti-Muslim bigotry, anti-LGBTQ+ bias, and disability antisemitic incidents, racist incidents
-
PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Students with Disabilities and Bullying
|
|
|
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Bullying Prevention Month is a campaign in the United States founded in 2006 by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center. The campaign is held during the month of October and unites communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention. Find toolkits here that can help your school start your campaign.
|
Indigenous Peoples' Day: October 10
On the second Monday of October, Indigenous Peoples' Day recognizes the Indigenous communities that have lived in the United States for thousands of years. On this day we celebrate the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples. This day is a celebration of the rich history of native people on this land, their cultures, their way of life, and their resistance.
|
|
 |
 |
|
World Mental Health Day: October 10
World Mental Health Day is marked every year on October 10 to raise awareness about mental health around the world and to mobilize efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues. Every year since 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) has organized a global campaign for World Mental Health Day. The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) announced the theme for World Mental Health Day 2022, which is ‘Make mental health for all a global priority”.
|
Hispanic Heritage Month: Sep.15 - Oct.15
Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) takes place September 15 to October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Latinx/e community. The celebration begins in the middle rather than the start of September because it coincides with national independence days in several Latin American countries: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica celebrate theirs on Sept. 15, followed by Mexico on Sept. 16, Chile on Sept. 18 and Belize on Sept 21.
|
|
 |
|
ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
