COMING UP NEXT – MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!
Let’s Talk about Student and Family Rights
Wednesday, January 19, 2022 6:00-7:30 pm
What rights do students and families have? What are the protected identity categories under Harassment? What responsibilities do schools have to respond to bullying incidents? What can you do if you or your child is being bullied? How do schools hold people accountable? Facilitated by BSD’s Director of Equity, Sparks, and BSD’s HHB Coordinator Jay Lawson.
BSD Equity Community Workshop Series
BSD is excited to kick off another year of equity-focused virtual workshops! These workshops are free and open to the public. In 2020-2021, the Office of Equity introduced an “Equity Webinar” series. Moving this work forward, we have renamed this virtual series “Equity Community Workshops” for 2021-2022 in order to provide more than just a traditional webinar as they include space for authentic engagement in courageous conversations and increased opportunities for dialogue.
Let’s Talk about Restorative Practices
Let’s Talk about Restorative Practices from Thursday, October 21, 2021 6-7 pm – What is happening with implementation of Restorative Practices (RP) in BSD? How do students and staff engage in circles throughout their school experiences? How does RP serve as a tool for equity? Participate in a virtual Restorative Circle facilitated by BSD students. Facilitated by BSD’s RP Coordinator Mika Moore and BSD student facilitators.
Let’s Talk about Gender Identity and Expression
Tuesday, February 8, 2022 6:00-7:00 pm
What is the gender spectrum and how can we support transgender and non-binary youth in our schools and our community? What is the difference between Gender Identity and Gender Expression? Come join in an open discussion facilitated by BSD staff and students.
Join on Google Meet
Let’s Talk about Whiteness
Tuesday, March 8, 2022 6:00-7:00 pm
Why is it important to discuss “whiteness” in anti-racism work? What is white privilege, white fragility, and white supremacy organizational culture, and how do these show up in schools? Why is it important for white people to do the work to dismantle these systems and eradicate racism? Facilitated by BSD’s Equity Instructional Leader Autumn Bangoura, and BSD’s Youth and Family Restorative Liaison Virginia Litchfield.
Let’s Talk about Disability Advocacy
Tuesday, April 12, 2022 6:00-7:00 pm
What is an IEP and a 504 plan and how do these protect students? Why is it important to focus on disability rights in schools? What are the struggles that people with disabilities have gone through in history and still persist today? Facilitated by BSD student alumni and the Office of Equity.
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BSD 2020-21 Equity Webinar Series – Click here to view details about the 2020-21 Equity Webinar Series
BSD Office of Equity Announces New Equity Webinar Series – Public Invited to Explore Burlington School District’s Diversity and Equity Work.
New this school year, Burlington School District’s (BSD) Office of Equity is excited to sponsor a series of free, participatory Equity Webinars open to the greater BSD community. The goals of the series are to engage students, families, staff, and community members in courageous conversations on topics of equity and Social Justice. Designed to be more interactive than traditional webinars, the series will allow space for attendee participation and small-group break-out conversations and will feature a unique panel of facilitators including BSD staff, youth panels, and community partners.
“I’m thrilled to see the Office of Equity stepping up to offer this series,” said Superintendent Flanagan. “Equity, Engagement, and Deep Learning are three core values I believe will help us move our District forward. This series is a great way to combine those focus areas and allow us to work together for a common good.”
BSD Director of Equity, Sparks, who also leads the BSD Office of Equity, agrees. “As we look at ways to become a more equitable District, we must involve the community,” he said. “This an opportunity for us to not only show the work happening inside our buildings but to invite the community to be a part of that work and help make improvements.”
By inviting the broader community to this series of Equity webinars, the Office of Equity hopes to highlight the importance of community members as school partners and provide opportunities for adults and students to participate in critical conversations around topics such as identity, race, mental health, ableism, heterosexism, and more.
All webinars will be offered via Zoom and will be recorded and shared on the District’s YouTube page. See the full list below and be sure to join us on December 17th for “An Introduction to Restorative Practices.”
2021 BSD EQUITY WEBINAR SERIES:
December 17, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
An Introduction to Restorative Practices What are Restorative Practices? How are Restorative Practices being used at BSD? Participants practiced a virtual Restorative circle led by BSD student circle facilitators. Watch the webinar below.
February 3, 2021 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Racialized Trauma Explore the Intersectionality of Racism and Mental Health and participate in a conversation with a multigenerational panel from the BSD community. Cosponsored by the Howard Center. Facilitated by Courtney Casper and Zachary Key. https://www.wcax.com/2021/02/03/burlington-school-district-to-host-racial-trauma-webinar/
March 12, 2021 5:00 – 6:30 pm Beyond Black History Month Recognizing that Black history doesn’t end when March begins is an annual BSD tradition. Sit back and watch the Black Lives Matter flag raising mini documentary “We Choose Love and Hope” with family followed by breakout room discussions and activities on Anti-Racism
Combating Ableism – April 8, 2021 6-7 pm What is ableism and how does it show up in schools?
A moderated conversation about disability advocacy facilitated by BSD Student Alumni Zaley Deleonardis-Page and Eva Edwards-Stoll followed by Restorative Circle discussions in breakout rooms.
AAPI Affinity Spaces May 7, 2021 5:00-6:00 PM This virtual event is hosted by the BSD Office of Equity and is open to all Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islanders and non-Asian parents of Asian children in the greater Burlington community. Come learn about what BSD is doing to address Anti-Asian racism and participate in breakout rooms to share your concerns and make recommendations to the school district. Vietnamese, Karen, Burmese and Nepali translation is available.
Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth May 12, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Come learn more about how to support LGBTQ+ youth in schools and at home in partnership with Mara Iverson from Outright VT and a BSD multigenerational panel.
