Timeline for Building Culturally Responsive Environments in Brighton
Summer 2017, Blueprint designated D/E committee and priority area.
BHS moves to increase AP enrollment for students of color
2017-2018 D/E committee establishes definitions of D/E at Brighton and develops list of areas for future study.
Fall 2017 – K-12 SCD dedicated to learning about implicit bias, general awareness building session
2017-2018 – Entire Curriculum Council spends year studying aspects of culturally responsive practices. District D/E committee works to define inclusiveness in Brighton as well as future directions for SpEd, hiring practices, and family engagement.
Fall 2017- BHS students attend Roc2Change conference.
Winter 2017 – TCMS holds poverty simulation followed by discussion of relevance for entire faculty.
Spring 2018 – BHS hosts student panel. Small group follow up discussions.
BHS: Small group work to discuss how to process various diversity scenarios that could come up in classrooms at any given time.
Summer 2018 – District Blueprint Committee defines D/E direction for 2018-2019 including hiring, SpEd, family practices, continued study of culturally responsive practices, discipline practices
Summer 2018 – 6-12 DPD session offered by Dr. Joellen Maples on culturally responsive practices in Humanities. Teachers begin implementing strategies in units of study and classroom practice.
Hired Marlowe Washington and Renee Baker to assist with addressing diversity/equity needs across district
2018-2019 –
Yearlong study: Curriculum Council subgroup formed to define for Brighton, best practices in curriculum design and resource selection related to cultural responsiveness. District textbook review policy is updated and approved by Board of Education.
Fall 2018 – Poverty simulations held at CRPS, FRES and BHS for entire faculty
Fall 2018 – BHS students host Roc2Change conference for 500 area students
Fall 2018 – Approximately 15 TCMS/BHS teachers attend a PD session at M1 BOCES on building culturally responsive classrooms
BOE training on implicit bias
Diversity/Equity committee subgroups study hiring, family engagement & SpEd identification procedures
Leadership team reviewing discipline practices. K-12 – exploration of restorative practices by select groups in each building.
20 teachers from TCMS & BHS continue working with Dr. Maples to implement culturally responsive framework of instructional design
Core teams identified for each building to participate in intense training on restorative practices
Summer 2019 – K-12 DPD day dedicated to exploring D/E issues. All K-12 staff attend
Keynote by Dr. Jevon Hunter: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy as Authentic Learning and Teaching
Eight breakout sessions on related topics
Curriculum design institutes incorporate elements of cultural responsiveness in lesson design.
2019-2020
All staff training on restorative practices during fall superintendents conference day
Curriculum Council subgroup investigates instructional implications for incorporating culture responsive practices into current classroom practice.
Select teachers implement modified units of study.
Select K-5 staff work with Dr. Joellen Maples on incorporating critical literacy into novel studies.
select 6-12 staff continue work with Dr. Jevon Hunter to incorporate culturally responsive and social justice elements into units of study
Several new resources including literature purchased to better reflect Brighton student population, K-12.
Continued work with consultants from Re-Center to work with administrators, teachers and families
Continued work with BOCES 1 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion CO-SER
Administrative Team Professional Development: Equity case study review, reviewing Brighton's Blueprint with an Equity lens, Restorative Practices, Gender Support Planning for Students
District wide professional development Spring 2023 led by Re-Center consultants
How to support conversations around race at the elementary level with students, families, and colleagues?
Student Belonging at the Middle School Level
District representatives attend 2023 Summer REN institute with guest speaker Zaretta Hammond
District book studies: Grading for Equity, Creating Cultures of Thinking, Culturally Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners
Professional Development with the Anti-Racist Curriculum Project for ELA and Social Studies Teachers
Enslavement and Resistance in NY: Social Studies, SEL, and Culturally Responsive Instruction
2023-2024
Continued building level planning and support with Building Based School Wide Equity Teams facilitated by building principal and co-facilitator in each school building.
District wide professional development led by Re-Center - Fall 2023
Continuing conversations around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the K-5 level through curriculum and collaboration
2023 NYS legal update and best practices for creating a safe, supportive and affirming school environment for transgender and gender-expansive students at TCMS
Grading for Equity at BHS
Inclusive Language Protocol professional development at TCMS and FRES led by Monroe BOCES 1 DEI consultants
TCMS Student Leaders training in Inclusive Language Protocols - monthly inclusive lessons
Staff “Lunch and Learn” follow up regarding inclusive language protocol: successes, supports, and resources sharing.
District wide book studies including: Creating Cultures of Thinking, Grading for Equity, Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics and Be the Change: Lessons and Strategies to Teach Social Comprehension.
District wide professional development led by Re-Center - Spring 2024