LPS has robust professional learning offerings for its staff, and while many of our courses and workshops incorporate an equity lens, the following options are directly tied into several of our DEI efforts. Staff may click on the title of each option to register or join a wait list!

Co-Teaching Strategies for Creating Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Classrooms 

This course explores cooperative group work, student engagement, and specially designed instruction with a focus on a variety of co-teaching models. Participants will explore how to support all students, particularly those who are in special education, come with a socio-emotional/ trauma history, are English language learners, and belong to racial and ethnic minority populations. This course highlights neurological research and its connection to culturally responsive co-teaching (based on the work by Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain). Participants will learn strategies for attention, retention, and assessment. Humor, movement, and novelty is explored in order to plan instruction and maximize learning. Strategies and information could be adapted to all classrooms and subjects. Completion of this course will satisfy special education endorsement requirements. The course will meet for 15 hours and offers 1 graduate credit from Framingham State University as well as PDPs (Certificates of Completion).

Transforming Curriculum through a Social Justice Lens

This course is designed for educators who wish to understand multicultural curriculum transformation using the model developed by James Banks and incorporating the Teaching Tolerance standards regarding identity, diversity, justice, and action. Participants will explore "challenging and changing the narrative” to include more multicultural perspectives, adapting pedagogy to be more culturally responsive, and challenging systemic racism and bias. Participants will then adapt/develop their own lesson/unit plan. The course will meet for 15 hours and offers 1 graduate credit from Framingham State University as well as PDPs (Certificates of Completion) PDPs/Credits: 15 PDPs.

Restorative Justice Tier 1: Introduction to Restorative Justice and Circle Practice

This two-day experiential training prepares individuals to design and facilitate restorative circles. Participants will directly experience being in a circle; understand the elements, philosophy, and rituals of a circle; and practice both planning and facilitation of circles including establishing norms and expectations. We will learn how to engage in a communitarian process that will encourage investment in schools or workplace settings. This training will focus on using circles regularly to build and maintain a culture and community where everyone feels they are heard and belong. This training will introduce the fundamental principles of restorative justice and prepare schools, agencies, and communities to use circles within their own context.

Anti-Racist School Practices to Support the Success of All Students

This IDEAS 1 course fulfills the requirements for educators in Year 3 of the LPS Educator Induction Program, and it is open to all staff. This course is designed to introduce educators to the complex issues raised by race and racism and their impact on student engagement and achievement. Tis course will provide educators with an understanding of racial identity and the importance of building authentic student teacher relationships. This course will also help educators increase their skills of cultural proficiency. Who May Enroll: All interested educators (if needed, priority may be given to educators in Year 3 of the induction program). PDPs/Credits: 25 PDPs/1 in-house credit upon successful completion of course requirements. 2 credits available for purchase through Framingham State ($75/credit).

Cultural Aspects in Education

This course fulfills the requirement for educators in Year 3 of the LPS induction program. Cultural competence training provides a set of skills professionals need in order to improve practice, serve all students and communicate effectively with their families. These skills enable educators to build on the cultural qualities young people bring to the classroom and not view these qualities as deficits. This course will ask educators to confront the stereotypes held both consciously and unconsciously about students of color, to explore how bias affects the way that we perceive and teach students and its potential to negatively affect student achievement. This introductory course is designed to assist participants in developing an understanding of several aspects of cross-cultural competence and its significance for working with students and their families in schools. Participants will draw insights from educational research, literature, history, media, journal articles, and class discussion. Course participants will explore the concept of Cultural Competence - what is it, and why is it important? We will examine conceptual frameworks, define terms, and discuss how to help students move from cultural shock to cultural learning. Additionally, we will explore the way we teach, provide services, and other factors that influence student achievement. Participants in the course will examine their own socialization by uncovering the many layers of their own individual cultural assumptions and predispositions to judge others through preset "norms.” Facilitators: Barbara J. Hamilton, K-12 METCO Academic Director Who May Enroll: Priority Registration given to educators in Year 3 of the Induction Program PDPs / Credits: 15 PDPs/1 in-house credit upon successful completion of course requirements

Restorative Justice Tier 2: Restorative Mindset and Addressing Conflict

This advanced two-day training focuses on how to use restorative justice to respond to community challenges and conflicts. A range of Tier 2 practices will be covered, including restorative conversations with one or more participants and circles responding to cultural issues and incidents of harm. Practitioners will be able to address both the harm as well as its root causes. These processes emphasize the importance of building connections, recognizing strengths, and healing relationships when harm occurs. Through experiential learning and interactive activities, participants will learn to use restorative justice to address problems and conflict. Tier 1 prerequisite.

Restorative Justice Tier 3: Addressing Serious Harm with Restorative Justice

This advanced two-day training focuses on how to respond to serious harm. Participants will be introduced to different approaches to transform conflict and explore how to respond to incidents between two or more individuals. This training will cover how to use the restorative questions, responsive circles, and conferencing. Through a trauma-informed lens, conferencing provides impacted parties a voice; encourages accountability with support; promotes emotional healing and the repair of relationships among all stakeholders in the community. Tier 1 & 2 prerequisite.

As part of their work learning critical literacy skills, 8th graders at Diamond Middle School recently finished an independent reading project where they ultimately were asked to make a recommendation about whether that book would be a good fit for the 8th grade critical literacy curriculum. At the culmination of the unit, students set up camp in the school library to defend their position for visiting staff. They did an excellent job providing answers to questions on critical literacy, such as the following:

• What is critical literacy? What is a critical literacy curriculum? 

• How can I figure out whether a book is a good fit for a critical literacy curriculum?

• Why do we need to read books that center historically marginalized characters and authors?

• Is the book you read a good fit for a critical literacy curriculum? Why or why not?

In March, members of the LHS National Honor Society hosted a Multicultural Festival after school to raise awareness about the various cultures that are present in our schools. The festival, held on Thursday, March 16th, was a huge success! Students, staff, and community members reported having great discussions about their cultures. One staff member said, “I could see the excitement and happiness on students' faces. They were very enthusiastic to talk to anyone who came to their booth, tell them about their special traditions, and share some special foods with them.” The festival included booths representing students who identify as Indian, Korean, Chinese, Hispanic, Eritrean, Jewish, French, German, Cypriot, Israeli, Armenian, and Asian American, and the South Asian Students Association (SASA) was also in attendance. Students sang songs in different languages, showcasing their special dances. There was amazing food at every table and more donated by the local restaurants. Thank you so much to the National Honors Society students and their fabulous Advisor, Parul Kumar for hosting this event!

Also in March, the LHS Asian Student Union (ASU) put on its annual show of Asian culture. Asian Night is an event that has been an ASU student-run tradition by for the past decade dedicated to showcasing and celebrating Asian culture, heritage, and talent at LHS. This year's show hosted 20 acts and over 50 performers. The Asian Student Union serves to promote a sense of community by embracing AAPI solidarity and belonging at Lexington High School. The night was a huge success with over 200 community members who came out to celebrate! 

Then at the end of March, Holocaust survivor, author, and public speaker Sylvia Ruth Gutmann shared her story with 10th grade World History classes. The event was well attended and prompted many important discussions that continued in classes the following week. Special thanks to 12th grader Talia Ofek who worked with LHS Social Studies Department Chair Dr. Kerry Dunne to organize the event.

On Friday, March 3, Lexington High School students from Diversify our Narrative Lexington and the DEI Student Advisory Council facilitated a workshop for preschool educators that shared student perspectives on the importance of diversity in children's books and supported educators as they evaluated current books available to preschool students at LCP. In April, the high school students also served as guest readers in LCP classrooms to connect with our youngest students through shared read-alouds. The LCP Equity Team has begun meeting together to build community and chart a DEI path forward for LCP, and they are hosting a DEI student intern from Boston University's Wheelock College of Education who is supporting all these initiatives!

The following are recent articles, editorials, videos, and educational news items to check out as we engage in the lifelong journey of bringing greater equity to our community!