Building Belonging Series: Workshop Descriptions

                                            

September 28th - I've Hired a DEI Practitioner, Now What? with Tamisha Williams 

Between early 2020 and early 2021, DEI job postings increased by over 100 percent within independent schools. While some of those positions were in development prior to the very public and traumatic murders of George Floyd, Brianna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, many positions were developed in response to the national outcry and social media-based activism for justice against racism. A lack of support and understanding of the DEI role can lead to wasted time, resources, and talent, and even the most well-intentioned and well-resourced schools can struggle to make this role effective. If the DEI role is new to your community and you’re wanting to be proactive in supporting your practitioner as well as the collective work ahead, join us. Please note that this program will not be recorded.

October 12th - Exploring Leadership and Identity: How White School Leaders Can Advance Anti-Racist Practices with John Gentile

This workshop will look at socialization into whiteness, the construction of how whiteness functions, and how we can move toward anti-racist practices with accountability. The target audience for this program is AISGW leaders who are white and looking to better understand racial identity development and ways to disrupt racism. This program will be facilitated by John Gentile, an equity consultant and an independent school alum and employee. Please note that this program will not be recorded.

October 26th- Navigating Conversations About Race and Racism with Young Children:  A Workshop for Early Childhood Educators with Jessy Molina

We know that very young children notice race, but we don’t always know how to engage young children on the topic in healthy ways. Join us for a workshop designed especially for early childhood educators on engaging young children in conversations about race and racism. Participants will learn about healthy racial identity development, how young children internalize messages about race, and how to have conversations about race with children in ways that are age-appropriate, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed.

November 9th- Gender and Sexuality Diversity: Students' Need to Belong (K-5) with Jennifer Bryan (Part 1)

 For Early Childhood and Elementary educators, how to best address issues of gender and sexuality with our youngest students is an ongoing and ever-evolving challenge. Administrators, teachers and parents alike have all manner of questions about what our children need to learn and when they are ready to learn it. What can get lost in debates about “age appropriateness” is the way kids’ natural curiosity about themselves and others frequently brings gender and sexuality right into the heart of their emotional, social, physical and cognitive development. The more we understand gender and sexuality as being central to children’s lives, the better we will be able to ensure that all students feel they belong in the school community, regardless of their identity or expression. Bring your questions and observations to this interactive session.

November 16th- Gender and Sexuality Diversity: Students' Need to Belong (6-12) with Jennifer Bryan (Part 2)

In Middle and High School, gender and sexuality continue to be at the heart of students’ emotional, social, physical and cognitive development. The onset of puberty brings adolescent bodies into the mix, and students contend with varying levels of readiness to explore the gendered and sexual aspects of their emerging identities. How kids manage and navigate their deep need to belong during this time is influenced by how literate teachers and trusted adults are about contemporary ways of thinking about and understanding gender and sexuality. Bring your questions and observations to this interactive session.

December 7th- Special session for school heads- Fostering a Sense of Belonging For Your Faculty and Staff of Color: A Conversation About Recruitment, Support, and Retention with Nishant Mehta

As part of their overall objective to creating a culture of inclusion and belonging, many schools accelerated their approach during the 2020-21 school year to recruiting and retaining faculty and staff of color. While the desired outcome is clear, the journey itself is still fuzzy. Join Nishant Mehta for a conversation that will empower school leaders to create an intentional, strategic and sustainable process for the recruitment, retention, and support of their faculty and staff of color. We will discuss specific actions that advance deep reflection of the institutional mission and values; possible strategies and resources for execution; and a differentiated, flexible approach that builds in clear accountability for school leadership.