Toge her. for All. Equity and Inclusive Education

Transcription

1 Toge her for All Equity and Inclusive Education

2 Our Mission We are called to celebrate and nurture the God-given talents of each student as we serve with excellence in the light of Christ. Our Vision Each student in our Catholic learning community embodies excellence and equity by embracing the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations to be: a discerning believer; a collaborative contributor; a self-directed, responsible lifelong learner; a reflective, creative and holistic thinker; an effective communicator; a caring family member; and a responsible citizen. Our Catholic Values By living these values with an open mind and a faithful heart we bear witness to these words: You are the hope of the Church and of the world. You are my hope. Saint John Paul II As a Catholic Learning Community, we value: Faith, evangelizing ourselves and others through scripture, sacrament, prayer and action in service with the home, school and parish. Hope, giving witness to the belief that we can become who we are called to be. Love, being present to others with care, compassion, solidarity, community and joy. Peace, creating opportunities for contemplation, spirituality, reconciliation and forgiveness. Wisdom, listening and responding to the Holy Spirit. Inclusion, ensuring a sense of belonging by promoting the dignity and worth of each human life. Excellence, building on God s grace to achieve our earthly and eternal vocations. Creativity, celebrating diverse and innovative expressions of God s gifts. Service, seeking out and responding to local and global needs with prudence, fortitude, humility and charity. Stewardship, shepherding God s creation and resources for the common good. Responsibility, demonstrating accountability and fidelity in our thoughts, words and deeds. Justice, acting and serving with integrity in communion with the Gospel and teachings of Jesus. 2 Together For All: Equity and Inclusive Education

3 As you did it to one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40) Contents Our Mission, Our Vision, Our Values Message from the Director of Education Ontario s Education Equity Action Plan, Together for All: DCDSB Equity and Inclusive Education Action Plan Key Messages Together for All Actions (Year 1) Supporting Documents/Resources dcdsb.ca 3

4 Our schools should be places where students not only learn about diversity but also experience it. Students should see themselves and their classmates reflected in their studies. Students and families should expect their interactions with their school community to leave them feeling accepted for who they are. All students should believe in their potential and know that they will be supported along the way from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and beyond, no matter what pathway they choose. The vision of equity and inclusion for all must also be extended to our teachers, principals and education workers, who together anchor the broader school community. Ontario s Education Equity Plan, Together For All: Equity and Inclusive Education

5 You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Saint Augustine A message from the Director of Education Celebrating Inclusion is a key priority for the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB). In our commitment to ensuring equity for all students, our Together for All Equity Action Plan was developed to guide our inclusive practices in alignment with Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario and Ontario s Education Equity Action Plan. As Catholic leaders and educators, we are called to serve with excellence in the light of Christ with the teachings of Gospel a central focus in everything we do. This document is a guideline that reflects our vocation to meet the diverse needs of each individual learner. Based on the theme of Celebrating Inclusion, it is intended to ensure that all learners have access to the supports, resources and opportunities that promote student well-being and achievement. While we have made great strides in identifying and removing systemic barriers, we must continue our effors to ensure that students can experience equitable opportunities for achieving success. We recognize that this is an ongoing journey as demographics and student needs change. I would like to thank all of our contributors who have been part of this commitment as we grow together, exploring new ideas to create opportunities for positive change Together for All. Yours in Catholic Education, Anne O Brien Director of Education dcdsb.ca 5

6 ONTARIO S EDUCATION EQUITY ACTION PLAN, 2017 Ensuring equity is a central goal of Ontario s publicly funded education system, as set out in Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario (2014). It stems from a fundamental principle that every student should have the opportunity to succeed personally and academically, regardless of background, identity or personal circumstances. While important in and of itself, equity is also necessary to realizing all other elements of our renewed vision, from achieving excellence, to promoting well-being, and enhancing public confidence in our education system. It is a critical component of our commitment to the success of every student and child in Ontario. Ontario s Education Equity Plan, 2017 Pg Together For All: Equity and Inclusive Education

7 Pope Francis encourages members of the Catholic community...to be a Church on the side of others, capable of accompanying everyone along the way. (Message of Pope Francis during the 48th World Communications Day. June 1, 2014) equity_plan_en.pdf Ontario s Education Equity Action Plan has four key initiative areas: School and Classroom Leadership Governance and Human Resources Practices Data Collection, Integration and Reporting Organization Culture Change dcdsb.ca 7

8 TOGETHER FOR ALL: DCDSB EQUITY AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION ACTION PLAN FOUR KEY INITIATIVE AREAS 1. School and Classroom Practices implementing teaching practices and curriculum that reflect and are responsive to the needs and realities of all students; ensuring that all students, with a particular focus on students in grade 9, are supported in achieving their maximum potential and in choosing appropriate pathways to work, college, apprenticeship, or university; increasing parent engagement opportunities in equity and inclusive education, by identifying strategies to reach parents who may be disengaged from the education system; and collecting and analyzing data on suspensions, expulsions and exclusions and the groups affected. 2. Leadership, Governance, and Human Resources Practices establishing ongoing equity, inclusion and human rights training for staff, school and system leaders; enhancing diversity in the recruitment, hiring and promotion of educators and school and system leaders; and working with the Ministry of Education to establish formal structures to promote and enforce human rights and equity. 3. Data Collection, Integration and Reporting working with the Ministry of Education to develop a consistent approach to the collection of voluntarily provided identity-based student data and its use in supporting student achievement and well-being; working with stakeholder groups to co-develop indicators of student success and well-being; and working with the Ministry of Education and labour partners in undertaking workforce data collection and analysis to ensure representative, equitable and healthy work and learning environments. 4. Organizational Culture Change applying an equity, inclusion and human rights perspective to all internal structures, policies, programs and practices in collaboration with a broad range of community partners. 8 Together For All: Equity and Inclusive Education

9 Ensuring equity is a necessary foundation for improving student achievement, promoting student and staff well-being, and enhancing confidence in the publicly funded school system. Achieving Excellence is an ambitious vision that challenges the education system to go beyond simply graduating successful students to developing resilient and engaged citizens. Ontario s Education Equity Action Plan Making a commitment to accessible opportunities for family engagement and involvement in the school. Strengthening relationships with students and their families. KEY MESSAGES Working together, we can create optimal conditions for learning by: Challenging students with high expectations, by providing them with daily feedback to show them that their effort matters, and by having a growth mindset about academic achievement. Knowing our students and their families and including their voices within the classroom to make learning relevant. dcdsb.ca 9

10 TOGETHER FOR ALL ACTIONS (YEAR 1) A diverse school community requires much more from educators. It requires that they acknowledge and accept students with different learning needs and learning styles, reflect diversity in the curriculum and classroom materials, be more aware of classroom and school dynamics, and pay more attention to the learning experiences of students from diverse communities, backgrounds, and identities. The goal is to create learning environments that sustain and support equitable educational outcomes and success for all students. Inclusive Classroom Self-Assessment for Educators 1. School and Classroom Practices raise awareness and understanding about the impacts of equity and diversity on student well-being and achievement and support educators in using culturally responsive practices; continue to provide training around teaching practices and curriculum that reflect the diverse needs and realities of our student population; provide ongoing support to school administrators in developing School Improvement Plans inclusive of Equity and Inclusive Education priorities; and actively seek out and honour the voices of students and families as active participants in their school communities including participation in student summits and parent engagement sessions. 2. Leadership, Governance, and Human Resources Practices establish equity designates to act as school level leads to support the work of Equity and Inclusive Education; provide equity and diversity training for managers, supervisors, equity designates and school administrators; initiate a process for enhancing diversity in our recruitment and hiring processes for all employee groups; establish a support for racialized students in our secondary schools through the hiring of a Resource Teacher for equity and inclusive education; and provide human rights training to system leaders. 3. Data Collection, Integration and Reporting participate on the Education Equity Secretariat Identity Based Data Collection Steering Committee; and work with the sub-committee leads (Indigenous Education, Mental Health, Poverty, Racialized Students, LGBTQ Students) to co-develop and integrate actions for the Together for All Equity Action. 10 Together For All: Equity and Inclusive Education

11 There can be no peace unless we have the conviction that every person is important, that every person matters, that every person flows from and to the heart of God. Jean Vanier 4. Organizational Culture Change seek opportunities to address student well-being and achievement challenges faced by specific groups (students experiencing poverty, racialized students, newcomers, students with special education needs, indigenous populations, those who identify as LGBTQ) due to their unique context and attributes; develop a professional development plan for providing human rights compliance training to senior administrators and trustees; create a two-year plan to prioritize the review of board policies and procedures with an equity lens to help eliminate systemic barriers and allow for more equitable opportunities for students; and expand participation on the system level Together for All Committee. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS/RESOURCES Together for Mental Health (DCDSB 2017) Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Ministry of Education) Together for Hope (DCDSB 2017) A Better Way Forward: Ontario s 3 Year Anti-Racism Strategic Plan (Government of Ontario) dcdsb.ca 11

12 650 Rossland Road West Oshawa, Ontario L1J 7C4 Tel: dcdsb.ca Culture goes much deeper than typical understanding of ethnicity, race and/or faith. It encompasses broad notions of similarity and difference and it is reflected in our students multiple identities and their ways of knowing and of being in the world. In order to ensure that all students feel safe, welcome and accepted, and inspired to succeed in a culture of high expectations for learning, schools and classrooms must be responsive to culture. Capacity Building Series: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Towards Equity and Inclusivity in Ontario Schools