Land Acknowledgement:

We acknowledge that we are on the Indigenous lands of the Coast Salish People, who have treaty rights to this land, especially the Duwamish and Stillaguamish peoples.

We thank the caretakers of this land who have lived and continue to live here since time Immemorial. We reflect on the historic context that brings us to reside on this land and recognize our responsibility to interrupt erasure.

As community members and school staff, we all want the very best for our children and to have a community where everyone feels safe and welcome.

In Northshore School District and at Maywood Hills Elementary:

We are committed to creating a safe, caring, and inclusive environment within our school district community so that all students, families and staff feel welcomed, valued and supported. We recognize and advocate for the racial, ethnic, cultural, disability/ability, gender, sexual orientation, economic and religious diversity in our district.

• We BELIEVE that every student has the capacity to achieve academic success and make a positive contribution to society.

• We VALUE the diversity of our community and recognize the importance of celebrating this diversity within the learning environment.

• We RECOGNIZE that systemic barriers exist and are key contributing factors in the pervasive, disparate student achievement outcomes within our school system.

At Maywood, we acknowledge the longstanding and deep-rooted issue of racism, and we are committed to being actively anti-racist. We also acknowledge that education is the most important tool in overcoming discrimination. By helping children to better understand the world, we're fostering critical and creative thinkers. That said, we know that we do not have all the answers and we recognize that we need to actively listen to our community about how to eradicate racism. If you or your children are struggling with any aspect of this topic, please know we are here to support you and we welcome your input.