Diversity & Equity Office

http://www.bsdvt.org/diversity  |  802-864-8494  |   BLOG   |  email: diversity@bsdvt.org

 

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Burlington Welcomes Paul Gorski on January 16, 2012

“Culturally Competent Daily Practice through Intentional Acts of Resisting:
Ten Things I Can Do to Be a Better Multicultural Educator”

Download publicity flyer HERE

The Burlington School District Equity Council and Diversity & Equity Office welcome Paul Gorski, long-time board member of the National Association for Multicultural Education, founder of EdChange and Multicultural Pavilion, and nationally recognized consultant on equity and social justice in education. On January 16, 2012, Dr. Gorski will be speaking with district teachers, staff and the larger Burlington community as part of an in-service session at the Burlington High School Auditorium at 52 Institute Road, Burlington, VT 05408. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 8:00 am. Parking is free but limited, given the expected audience.

Dr. Paul Gorski has been an active consultant, presenter, and trainer, conducting workshops and providing guidance to schools and community organizations committed to equity and diversity. He created and continues to maintain the Multicultural Pavilion, a website focused on critical multicultural education. Paul has published four books, most recently, “Assault on Kids: How Hyper-Accountability, Corporatization, Deficit Ideologies, and Ruby Payne Are Destroying Public Schools,” and more than 35 articles in publications such as Educational Leadership, Equity and Excellence in Education, Rethinking Schools, Teaching and Teacher Education, Teachers College Record, and Teaching Tolerance. He continues to publish and present in education-focused forums on topics including white privilege and racism, anti-poverty education and economic justice, and multicultural organizational transformation. For more information on his background, download the publicity flyer here.

For more information contact Dr. Dan Balón at 802-864-8494 or diversity@bsdvt.org.

Special thanks to the ECHO Lake Aquarium & Science Center at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, University of Vermont’s Center for Cultural Pluralism, and Diversity Now for providing support for Paul’s visit!

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTERPRETATION: If you are aware of participants for this event in need of accommodations or interpretation, please contact Dan Balón at 802-864-8494 or diversity@bsdvt.org.

For other local community service and professional development opportunities as part of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities, visit the BSD Equity Resource Center at <http://www.bsdvt.org/diversity/ERC>.


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Task Force Report Unanimously Accepted by Board

The Commissioners of the Burlington School Board created a Task Force on Diversity and Equity for the purpose of promoting student achievement in the Burlington School District through greater cultural competence and understanding of diversity. Many reports and data have been filed for the Task Force to review including the BSD Town Hall Meeting report held last October 2010.

The Task Force, chaired by Vince Brennan, has met several times as a group and in committee groups for ten months. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the Task Force Report on the Recommended Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was unanimously accepted to the Burlington School Board of Commissioners. In October 2011, the Board has established a Committee for Diversity and Equity to help review the recommendations and guide an implementation process as deemed appropriate by the Board.

You can download a copy of the report or executive summary here:

Full Report (3.7MB) | Executive Summary (5.9MB)

The BSD Commitment to Diversity & Equity may be viewed here. More information about the Task Force, please contact Dr. Dan Balón at diversity@bsdvt.org or 802-864-8494.

 

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Office leads district in “Courageous Conversations about Race”

The Diversity & Equity Office—in collaboration with parents, administrators, community members, and city agencies—has been engaging Singleton and Linton’s “Courageous Conversations about Race” since last summer to help ensure equitable learning environments for all of our students.

The district administration (principals, directors, and other leaders) read this book and had several conversations with this book as a guideline to enhancing achievement for all children in our district. Since then, the BSD Equity Council, PTOs from the Integrated Arts Academy and Sustainability Academy, and city agenices have been having discussions surrounding this book. Several schools have used the textbook to help provide background and training for volunteers readers in their Reading to End Racism days since we have introduced the book district-wide.

If your PTO, teachers/staff, or organization are interested in leading sustained conversations about race as a way to help us improve the classroom and learning environment for all students and our staff, contact our office right away!


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3rd annual Champions of Diversity & Equity to be held Spring 2012

Channel 17 Video  |  2010 Nominees  |  Mayor’s Proclamation  |  2009 Champions


L-to-R at 2010 event: Superintendent Jeanné Collins and Director of Diversity & Equity Dan Balón
with award recipients—family of Melissa Zeno Parker (Dusty, Glenna, Jordan, Mr. Allen Parker),
CJ Bigsby, Kim-Anh Dinh, family of Huong Thanh Nguyen (Johnny, Michael, Mr. Dung Tran),
and Angela Shea at the 2nd annual Burlington School District Champions of Diversity &
Equity Awards Ceremony. (photo taken by Wanda Hines)

 

On a day when Mayor Bob Kiss proclaimed that November 17, 2010 be “Burlington Diversity & Equity Day,” 63 nominees were recognized and honored at the 2nd annual (2010) Burlington School District Champions of Diversity & Equity awards ceremony at Contois Auditorium in Burlington City Hall. The BSD Champions of Diversity & Equity awards ceremony was sponsored by the Diversity & Equity Office, in partnership with the Social Equity Investment Project and the City of Burlington.

Our Champions exhibit the A-B-C’s of diversity and equity as reflected in our children-centered district’s Commitment to Diversity & Equity. Our Champions are everyday individuals who represent the most ideal qualities and accomplishments that:

  • AFFIRM the rich social, cultural diversity in our schools;
    • BUILD communities across differences and for common purposes; and
      • CREATE a culture for leadership, action, and social change for our kids.

Click here for full story on the 2010 event.


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BSD Town Hall Meeting on: diversity, equity, and inclusion
October 26, 2010 - 4:30 pm

The Diversity & Equity Office and BSD Equity Council hosted a town hall-style gathering on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 4:30 pm at Contois Auditorium in Burlington City Hall on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The event was an opportunity for the Burlington community to join with BSD teachers, staff, and administrators to prioritize the future actions needed to advance our District to help ALL of our students succeed.

Current diversity initiatives to date were shared. The Superintendent, District administrators, and School Board Commissioners were present to join participants in an open, action-focused dialogue. The report can be viewed here. Questions may be directed to the Diversity & Equity Office at 802-864-8494 or diversity@bsdvt.org.

Download the BSD Town Hall Meeting Report (PDF)

 

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BSD partners with CEDO on AmeriCorps “We All Belong” Initiative

The Diversity & Equity Office is a continuing partner with the City of Burlington’s Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) in their AmeriCorps State and VISTA programs. With over 75,000 members in service across the country, the District has four members (2 State members and 2 VISTA members) who provide direct service and capacity building to our programs in the District. In exchange for their year of service, members receive an education award, benefits, and a modest living (subsistence) allowance from the Corporation for National & Community Service and Vermont Commission on National & Community Service.

In 2010-2011, as part of the AmeriCorps*State program, the Burlington School District is actively engaged in the “We All Belong” cultural competency initiative. The mission of this program is “to provide the tools and resources for organizations to primarily build their cultural and linguistic competence so that they can provide more culturally relevant services, and then truly be more inclusive and welcoming.” Many other civic and community-based organizations across the Burlington areas are also host sites. Participation in the program allows site organizations to attend on-going culturlal competency training and development throughout the year. Out District cultural competency team includes our 2 state members, site supervisors, a Board Commissioner, and representative from the Superintendent’s office.

 

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“BSDtheChange” Diversity & Equity Blog Launched

The Diversity & Equity office is excited to announce the launch of its new blog: “BSDthechange.” BSDthechange is a space for exploration. It is a gathering of current events and resources that give a present day framework for exploring issues of diversity and equity in the Burlington School District and in our society. Comments and topics for discussion can be found through our website at www.bsdvt.org/diversity/blog.

We are excited to have the BSD community participate in what is turning into a great resource! For further questions about the blog or the Equity Resource Center, please contact Mercedes Mack <mmack@bsdvt.org>, Equity Education Coordinator.

 

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Diversity & Equity Office Newletter

We are excited to bring in the 2011-2012 year in the Burlington School District. Learn about our staff, efforts to provide professional development, and our continuing work to help all of our students succeed academically, culturally, and emotionally. Download our Diversity & Equity newsletter below to hear more.

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Community Offers Input to District Recruiting Efforts

On Friday, February 12, 2010, the Burlington School District’s Equity Office for Employment and Retention—with the Department of Human Resources, Diversity & Equity Office, and Superintendent’s Office—met with members from several key local and state-wide organizations and communities. Invited groups included: Burlington Police Department; Consortium for Inclusion & Equity; Diversity Action... read more

 

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Burlington School District Spotlighted as Future Vermont Leaders


BSD staff: Jeanine Bunzigiye (Home School Liaison), Harka Khadka (Diversity Outreach Specialist),
Sara Martinez de Osaba (Parent Involvement Coordinator; and AmeriCorps*State Coordinator
for Diversity Outreach), and Dan Balón (Director of Diversity & Equity Office)

Read the “Minority Rule: Who will lead the next generation of Vermont’s racial justice activists?” story at SevenDays (November 11, 2009).

 

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Commitment to Diversity & Equity

The Burlington School District recognizes and values the diversity of our students, staff and community. The District is committed to a culture of diversity that reflects the voices, perspectives and differences arising from our diverse community and the world. We believe that it is important for students to understand and appreciate human diversity, develop a capacity for cultural competence, and commit to encouraging inclusion in their future lives.

The District will adopt procedures and implement staff training intended to achieve a diverse and culturally competent school community, inclusive of diverse races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religious and spiritual beliefs, ages, and physical and learning abilities. The administration shall report to the Board annually on its progress, barriers and outcomes.

This policy and statement on our district’s Commitment to Diversity was approved by the Board of Commissioners on March 10, 2009.

Download PDF version

 

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Dan Balón

Dr. Dan Balón, Director
150 Colchester Ave.
Burlington, VT 05401

802-864-8494 direct
802-865-5332 main
802-864-8501 fax
Meet the staff in the Diversity & Equity Office

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