DEI Guiding Principles - Amity Regional School District #5

DEI Defined
BOE Core Value Statements on DEI

DEI Defined

Our meaning of diversity, equity and inclusion:

Diversity is valuing the differences in individual and cultural characteristics, identities, and traits of each individual and group in our community.

Equity is ensuring the unimpeded access that each student has to the opportunities and resources necessary to develop to their full academic and social potential.

Inclusion is acting in an intentional and ongoing manner to ensure each individual in our community has a genuine sense of social, emotional, and academic belonging.

BOE Core Value Statements on DEI

Amity Board of Education Core Value Statements on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

WE BELIEVE the district should nurture a community of learners who embrace individual and cultural differences, valuing how differences enrich society.

WE BELIEVE that all learners should have access to the resources necessary to achieve their fullest educational potential with the full support of a community of leaders.

WE BELIEVE that learners must belong to and feel supported in their learning environment for them to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.

Amity's Guiding Principles

Safety and Belonging Symbol

Guiding Principle 1: Safety & Belonging

Physical and emotional safety and belonging are foundational to our students’ development and the creation of an enriching learning environment.

Students and Staff feel safe in school.
Students and Staff are safe in school.
Students find meaning and purpose in school experiences.
Students will have multiple (diverse) opportunities to engage in the school community.

Goals for Principle 1:

Provide physical, emotional, and behavioral safety.
Consistent application of behavioral expectations and rules
Actively enhance access for minoritized and marginalized students to experiences and opportunities

Curriculum Inclusiveness Symbol

Guiding Principle 2: Curriculum Inclusiveness

An inclusive curriculum provides access for all learners to build comprehensive perspectives that allow students to become respectful, self-aware citizens capable of individual post-secondary success.

Students have access to multiple and different perspectives.
Students have multiple entry points to build understanding and perspective around group identities and cultures.
Students engage in critical thinking and analysis.

Goals for Principle 2:

Each department will complete a curriculum equity audit
Ensure the selection of resources and texts are aligned to the objectives of the curriculum equity audit and will allow access of curriculum to all students.
Ensure all learners will have common experiences within the same curriculum area across all levels.
Improve instructional practices to meet the needs of all students within the general classroom setting.
Provide professional learning to improve inclusive instructional practices.
Ensure all students have an awareness of various career pathways and options for post-secondary goals.

Cultivating Relationships Symbol

Guiding Principle 3: Cultivating Relationships

Positive relationships are integral to supporting student engagement and readiness to learn. Shared understanding of the work done in school with families and the community is essential to student success during and after the secondary school experience.

Connectedness within and among members of the school community and families with minoritized and marginalized identities
Intentional skill building regarding intrapersonal perspectives and interpersonal relationships
Establishing effective and consistent communication
Foster trusting relationships between students with minoritized and marginalized identities and adults in school.

Goals for Principle 3:

Create positive student to student connections.
Create positive student to school personnel connections.
Create positive school personnel to school personnel connections.
Create positive school personnel to family connections through clear and consistent communication regarding efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion
Create positive school district to community connections through clear and consistent communication regarding efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion