Professional Learning

Vision

As educators (teachers, staff members, and administrators) at the Winooski School District (WSD), it is our collective responsibility to dig into the persistent conditions of inequity and oppression that currently impact experiences and relationships in our schools and community. By holding ourselves accountable through continuous reflection and action, professional learning at WSD will engage educators in the ongoing work of building an antiracist school system that supports the wellbeing and success of students, families, colleagues, and broader community members – especially those who are Black, Brown, Indigenous, and people of color.

Professional learning at WSD will actively cultivate a culture of equity and antiracism in our schools by giving consistent space and support for educators to:

1. Explore the influence of identity and culture on their personal and professional attitudes and behaviors and examine the impact they have on students;

2. Experience and create equitable learning environments grounded in restorative justice, proficiency-based learning, and flexible pathways;

3. Develop culturally responsive teaching practices and curriculum that are reflective of all students’ experiences and accessible to diverse learning needs;

4. Give and receive feedback and input on practice and pedagogy through peer collaboration and coaching using a lens of equity and antiracism; and

5. Analyze evidence of student learning and teacher feedback through a lens of equity and antiracism.

Definitions:

Equity: “Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome...Equity is a solution for addressing imbalanced social systems. Justice can take equity one step further by fixing the system in a way that leads to long-term, sustainable access for generations to come” (George Washington University Online Public Health).

Check out the Vermont School Boards Association definition of educational equity.

Antiracism: “Antiracist education is a theory of learning and action to help us do the important work of dismantling racism in schools. It explicitly highlights, critiques, and challenges institutional racism. It addresses how racist beliefs and ideologies structure one-on-one interactions and personal relationships. It also examines and challenges how institutions support and maintain disadvantages and advantages along racial lines” (National Museum of African American History & Culture).