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J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y P U B L I C S C H O O L S<br />

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND POVERTY DEPARTMENT<br />

OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong> | ISSUE 54<br />

Recognizing Culturally<br />

Responsive and Innovative<br />

Classroom Teachers<br />

Students Work to Make<br />

Library More Inclusive<br />

Taylor Utley &<br />

Shashray McCormack<br />

And More!<br />

Celebrating the Heritage<br />

and Contributions of 1the<br />

Local Latino Community


Gilmore Lane<br />

Students Work to<br />

Make Library More<br />

Inclusive<br />

By Lindsay Dotterweich<br />

3rd Grade Teacher, Gifted & Talented Lead,<br />

Gilmore Lane Elementary<br />

As a second grade teacher last<br />

year, we taught reading units<br />

that were focused around an<br />

overall theme, such as leadership or<br />

perseverance. Starting in February, we<br />

began a unit surrounded around the<br />

theme of diversity. We used fictional<br />

texts with diverse characters based on<br />

their languages, ethnicity, home<br />

countries, interests, and beliefs to help<br />

teach students about cultural diversity<br />

while also working on specific reading<br />

standards and skills related to<br />

literary texts. As we moved into work<br />

with informational texts and<br />

standards, we highlighted two<br />

exceptional child leaders through<br />

articles and video interviews: Malala<br />

Yousafzai and Marley Dias. Malala, from<br />

Pakistan, is known for speaking out in<br />

support of all girls having the right to<br />

Continue on next page<br />

2<br />

Photo, Abdul Sharif


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

go to school in her home country. Marley, as only a 5th grader, started<br />

a campaign to collect books with African-American girls as the main character<br />

because of a problem she noticed in the books that she was reading at her<br />

school having mainly white boys as characters. She then went on to write her<br />

own book as a middle school student.<br />

As a culminating<br />

project for our unit,<br />

we analyzed our<br />

own classroom<br />

library to look at the<br />

diversity of the<br />

books available to<br />

us in our own<br />

classroom. Our<br />

classroom<br />

community is very<br />

diverse in terms of<br />

language and ethnicity, so I wanted to make sure our classroom library<br />

contained books that have characters that our students can identify and<br />

connect with. Every student deserves to have books available to them where<br />

they can see themselves represented and learn about people who are different<br />

from them, as well.<br />

First, we analyzed the books in our classroom library based on the ethnicity and<br />

gender represented in characters, and discussed our observations. Then, once<br />

we had identified our areas of need, students researched books that met those<br />

needs and created a list of books they wanted to have for our library. I then<br />

created a Donors Choose Project to get funding so we could actually get these<br />

books into our library and students’ hands.<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

Finally, we wrapped up the project by connecting our writing standards to this<br />

project. My students chose to write either letters or a script that would be<br />

turned into a video that would be sent to potential donors for our project<br />

during our opinion-writing unit. They had the job of using their writing to<br />

communicate their opinion about what type of books we need and try to<br />

convince their readers or listeners to donate to our project so we can get these<br />

types of books into our classrooms.<br />

I have been so proud of the conversations and realizations we have had about<br />

cultural diversity through this project, and know this has been a truly<br />

meaningful learning experience for both myself and my students. The things<br />

my kids noticed about our classroom library blew me away. It made me realize<br />

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4


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

that social justice<br />

should be at the<br />

forefront of<br />

education early on.<br />

Kids can handle<br />

these big topics,<br />

and we are doing<br />

them a disservice if<br />

we do not include<br />

them in our<br />

instruction.<br />

This experience<br />

gave my kids<br />

ownership and<br />

voice over the<br />

books they have<br />

available to read<br />

within our<br />

classroom. It is so<br />

important that<br />

each of them sees themselves represented in the books they read so they<br />

believe in their own existence and importance in our world and society. This<br />

whole project began because I wanted to make sure all of my students had<br />

access to books that show characters or real people that they identify with,<br />

not just some of my students. And I wanted to provide them with an<br />

opportunity to look at an issue of equity and social justice within their own<br />

classroom so they were equipped with the knowledge and skills to stand up<br />

for injustices they see outside of my classroom.<br />

5


Diversity, Equity, and<br />

Poverty Resource<br />

Teacher Spotlight<br />

Ms.Taylor Utley<br />

I<br />

would like to formally introduce myself as a new<br />

member of the department of Diversity, Equity, and<br />

Poverty Programs (DEP). My name is Taylor Utley, and<br />

this is my eighth year in education and my fifth year working<br />

for Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS). I am a Kentucky<br />

native, born and raised in Christian County. I have a bachelor’s<br />

degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in special<br />

education, and a Rank I in educational leadership.<br />

Educational opportunities changed the trajectory of my<br />

personal path, and working with children these past ten years<br />

has given my life a greater purpose and meaning. I am very<br />

passionate about equity in education and excited to be a part<br />

of the revolutionary work being done in DEP.<br />

As a DEP Resource Teacher in External Equity, I will be<br />

coordinating initiatives that will help ensure increased<br />

equitable education opportunities for JCPS students. DEP<br />

Special Programs have initiatives that provide everything<br />

from professional-development opportunities for teachers to<br />

help better serve diverse populations, to innovative<br />

enrichment opportunities for students outside of school<br />

hours, to programs in high schools that assist students<br />

interested in becoming future educators.<br />

“Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness<br />

means everyone gets what they need.” ―Rick Riordan<br />

I can be reached by telephone at (502) 485-2107 or by email<br />

at taylor.utley@jefferson.kyschools.us.<br />

6<br />

Photo, Abdul Sharif


The Model<br />

Recognizing Culturally Responsive and Innovative Classroom Teachers<br />

Name: Maria Munoz<br />

School: ESL Newcomer<br />

Academy<br />

Maria Munoz earned a bachelors<br />

degree and a teaching certificate<br />

in Social Sciences at the Universidad<br />

Centroamericana (El Salvador) and a<br />

Master in Education and a K-12 ESL<br />

endorsement at the University of<br />

Louisville. Since 2016, Maria has dedicated<br />

her cultural responsive teaching to English<br />

Language Learners (ELLs) at the multicultural<br />

ESL Newcomer Academy. Her<br />

passion for ELLs is rooted on her own firsthand<br />

experience as an ELL herself when<br />

she arrived to Louisville in 1996; she had a<br />

great desire to serve as an educator and as<br />

a contributing citizen in the American<br />

society. Her cultural responsiveness is<br />

inspired by Paulo Freire’s education-forfreedom<br />

and the educational principles of<br />

the Sheltered Instruction Observation<br />

Protocol (SIOP).<br />

Continue on next page<br />

7<br />

Photos, Abdul Sharif


Maria’s teaching strategies are<br />

multiple and contextdependent.<br />

More important,<br />

each teaching strategy is<br />

inspired in her philosophy of<br />

education. For example, she<br />

believes in the strategy of<br />

cooperative learning because<br />

her philosophy of teaching to<br />

the whole child accentuates<br />

skills such as collaboration,<br />

critical thinking, and<br />

communication. Another example is her use of instructional and assessment<br />

differentiation. This differentiation strategy is rooted in her belief that teachers need<br />

to meet students where they are without compromising the high expectations of<br />

learning that characterize her classroom. Maria’s classroom has students from all<br />

over the world, but many are Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE) who<br />

need a differentiated instruction and assessment for effective learning.<br />

Finally, Maria uses a progressive scaffolding as supported by the concept of the zone<br />

of proximal development (Vigotsky). In Maria’s classroom, students will experience<br />

an increased level of rigor as they grow in their English language learning (i.e., oral,<br />

listening, reading, and writing), their US History content knowledge, and their<br />

success skills (i.e., collaboration, critical thinking, global citizenship, innovation, and<br />

resiliency). Throughout their learning process, students will move to higher levels of<br />

cognitive and language ability that allow them to identify root causes behind our US<br />

History.<br />

Click here for video story.<br />

8


Louisville Latino Education Outreach Project (LLEO)<br />

By Dr. Monica Lakhwani, Specialist, Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Department<br />

Photo, Abdul Sharif<br />

The Louisville Latino Education Outreach Project (LLEO) is comprised of representatives<br />

from University of Louisville (Cultural Centers Hispanic and Latino Initiatives office and<br />

Admissions), Americana Community Center, Jefferson County Public Schools (Diversity,<br />

Equity and Poverty Programs and Language Services), ProSpanica Adelante Hispanic<br />

Achievers, 55,000 Degrees, Doors to Hope, Jefferson Community and Technical College,<br />

Catholic Ministries, La Casita, and Backside Learning Center<br />

Vision Statement Create a vibrant and educated Louisville where Latino leaders are more<br />

represented, and institutional bias and structurally racist policies and cultures are<br />

eliminated.<br />

Mission Statement The LLEO core team is an avenue for collaboration, systems change and<br />

relationship building among Louisville Latino education organizations. We advocate for and<br />

empower Latino students and families in Louisville by providing access, knowledge base, and<br />

support to promote success in college, career and life.<br />

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LLEO Core Values<br />

“We are the leaders that we’ve<br />

been looking for” Grace Lee<br />

Boggs.<br />

We strive to create an<br />

organization that amplifies power<br />

with/among vs. power over.<br />

·Nonhierarchical in nature and<br />

where all partner<br />

organizations own the work<br />

and believe in the mission<br />

· Parent and family<br />

engagement is at the core to<br />

the work and drives our<br />

decisions<br />

·We create space where everyone feels included and all voices are heard. We do this<br />

through shared power dynamics<br />

Grace Lee Boggs. Photo, google images.<br />

We create a culture of listening- we are not the experts but we thrive in a community of<br />

valuing all people’s perspectives, experiences, stories and ideas.<br />

Shifting cultures within our institutions and community inspires us to do the following:<br />

· Stay in a state of inquiry- not always seeking the how but also the why<br />

· Being grounded in love and a deep desire for human connectivity<br />

· Creating safe and brave spaces that allow for people to show up as their full <br />

selves and where everyone feels included<br />

o LGBTQ+ friendly<br />

o Pro Indigenous and Pro Black<br />

o Language Justice (Multilingual)<br />

o Women, Gender Inclusivity<br />

o Socio Economic background<br />

o Geographic areas<br />

We believe that parent and family awareness, education, and involvement throughout<br />

their children’s educational trajectory are fundamental to the work of LLEO.<br />

10


Hispanic Heritage<br />

Month Community<br />

Highlight<br />

Marcos G. Morales Gutierrez<br />

By Dr. Monica Lakhwani, Specialist,<br />

Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Department<br />

Photo, Abdul Sharif<br />

Marcos Morales Gutierrez was born and<br />

raised in Okolona, Louisville, Kentucky.<br />

His parents are both from small towns in<br />

Michoacan, Mexico and are of indigenous<br />

Purépecha descent.<br />

Marcos attended both Okolona and<br />

Slaughter Elementary Schools when young.<br />

“As a first generation student, I was an<br />

English language leaner (ELL). Being an ELL,<br />

living in between two cultures, the American<br />

and Mexican culture was a tough battle for<br />

me early on. Still today, I am working<br />

through the educational trauma I<br />

accumulated during these years. I do not<br />

have a lot of recollection of these years.<br />

Other than an overwhelming feeling of<br />

failure and confusion. During second grade, I<br />

remember my teacher praising me for doing<br />

well in math. I remember that very well<br />

perhaps because it was one of the only times<br />

I felt I did something good in my early<br />

education. My career with JCPS ended when I<br />

failed 3 rd grade and my parents moved me to<br />

St. Rita Catholic School.”<br />

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“Life came full circle when I got the<br />

opportunity to work the ESL Newcomer<br />

Academy during the winter of 2016. There<br />

I was a 3 rd grade JCPS flunker serving and<br />

walking alongside my people, the ELL<br />

community. As I began to work here, there<br />

were days when I encountered that child<br />

who was in the JCPS classroom just 15 or<br />

so years ago, lost and confused. This was<br />

both good and bad. Bad or difficult<br />

because it brought up old trauma but<br />

good because I was in a different state of<br />

mind this time. A state of mind that<br />

embraces challenge, pain, and adversity.<br />

A state of mind that is critically engaged in<br />

the transformation of ones reality. And so,<br />

it was this state of mind that I brought to<br />

the lives I served during my time as a<br />

Bilingual Instructor at Newcomer. My<br />

goal, or method was to walk in solidarity<br />

with my brilliance. When I say brilliance I<br />

am speaking about my ability to be a<br />

cross-cultural communicator, critical<br />

thinker, collaborator, innovator, and<br />

11


Marco speaks at the 2016 State of Latinos (SOL) in Louisville.<br />

Photo, Abdul Sharif<br />

and someone who adapts and<br />

flows with the sporadic and<br />

complex way life happens. The<br />

sum of these skills compose<br />

my brilliance and empower me<br />

to exist as a valid and critical<br />

participant of the 21 st century<br />

society I am a part of. Each<br />

day when I assisted this place I<br />

made sure my being, my<br />

presence screamed to these<br />

students, “BRILLIANCE! This is<br />

how it walks, talks, acts, and<br />

thinks.” Passing along my embodied experience of brilliance is what I strived to<br />

pass on during my time at the ESL Newcomer Academy.”<br />

Mr. Morales is currently pursuing a Masters in Counseling with University of<br />

Louisville and has a B.S. Health & Sports Sciences with a track in Public Health<br />

Education with a minor in Wellness. Additionally, he serves as the Program<br />

Coordinator at UofL’s Cultural Center.<br />

Advice to Future Students<br />

“Consider adopting a growth mindset. The growth mindset focuses on learning and<br />

growing instead of winning and losing. This mindset is one that values<br />

collaboration, curiosity and mindfulness. The collaboration aspect helps to remind<br />

me that I am not alone in my educational journey and that asking for help is<br />

essential to my progress as a student (of life). This component also reminds me<br />

that I must be my own best advocate because no one else knows what is best for<br />

me besides me. The curiosity component allows me to mindfully question and<br />

wonder into life’s challenges and triumphs. This means allowing myself to<br />

embrace my mistakes and turn them into learning points while also enjoying<br />

moments of achievement more fully. To conclude, the growth mindset is<br />

responsible for the development of my love for learning.”<br />

12


LAHSO (Latin American and Hispanic Student<br />

Organization) Hispanic Heritage Month Panel<br />

By Dr. Monica Lakhwani, Specialist, Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Department<br />

The Latin American and Hispanic Student Organization (LAHSO) hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month<br />

Panel on September 28 at duPont Manual High School. The conversation that took place during the<br />

panel was intended to make others more culturally aware of their surroundings, to enforce the value<br />

of fighting for what one believes is right, and to teach others about an ethnicity that has been often ignored<br />

and silenced in today’s society.<br />

The list of speakers that participated in the panel included: Dr. Marco Munoz, JCPS employee, Roxana Castillo,<br />

JCPS student, Marco Munoz Jr., JCPS student, Melissa Perello, JCPS student, Tori Vestal, JCPS student,<br />

Francisco Mendes, JCPS student, and Arianna Moya (moderator), JCPS student.<br />

The purpose of LAHSO is to provide an atmosphere of cooperation, innovation, creativeness, and friendliness<br />

among its members; to participate in public service designed to assist other Latinos and the community at<br />

large; to offer a networking group for all students passionate about Hispanic culture; to assist members in the<br />

academic development to ensure successful completion of their high school studies; and to advocate for the<br />

rights of the Hispanic community.<br />

13


Diversity, Equity, and Poverty<br />

Resource Teacher Spotlight<br />

Ms. Shashray McCormack<br />

Shashray McCormack is a resource teacher in the<br />

Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs Department of<br />

Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS). She is<br />

responsible for providing resources to more than<br />

twenty elementary schools. She works directly with schools to<br />

ensure the district’s newest directives of the Racial Equity<br />

Policy are implemented through its racial equity plan.<br />

Shashray created, taught and implemented an African<br />

American history curriculum for the first and only elementary<br />

school in the district of Jefferson County Public Schools to have<br />

an African-American History class. She earned a Bachelor’s of<br />

Science in Health & Human Performance, a Master’s of<br />

Education in Early Childhood at the University of Louisville and<br />

is currently continuing her education at Bellarmine University.<br />

Her professional interests include the development of<br />

culturally relevant, sensitive and expansive curricula. Her<br />

pedagogical commitments include anti-racist teaching at the<br />

earliest stages of learning in service of fostering a more tolerant<br />

and inclusive society, beginning with its youngest citizens.<br />

Shashray has presented at academic conferences, including<br />

but not limited to, a closing keynote at the 2016 annual NCTE<br />

conference in Atlanta, GA titled “It’s time to re-write the story”:<br />

Active Anti-Racist Teaching through Critical Dance and Visual<br />

Arts Literacies in the Early Childhood Classroom. She presently<br />

serves as a board member of The Early Childhood Education<br />

Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English.<br />

Because of her work in the classroom she has been referenced<br />

in books including We've Been Doing It Your Way Long Enough:<br />

Choosing the Culturally Relevant Classroom Language and<br />

Literacy Series. Shashray is married with three beautiful<br />

children and she believes in the brilliance of students of<br />

color!<br />

Photo, Shashray McCormack<br />

14


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

How to Pay for Your Photo, Google Images<br />

HBCU Education<br />

By Dionne C. Griffiths, Education Advocate<br />

Fall is the time that high school seniors begin to apply to colleges and universities. They may apply<br />

for in-state or out of state colleges and may consider certain regions of the country, and schools<br />

with certain academic, sports or arts programs. There are also students who passionately want to<br />

attend a historically black college or university (HBCU). HBCUs were created in the United States<br />

during a time when people of African descent were not allowed to attend all-white colleges and<br />

universities, particularly in the racially segregated south.<br />

HBCUs continue to provide a solid educational foundation, cultivating a positive and grounded<br />

Afrocentric cultural identity in their students. HBCUs are also institutions where black excellence is<br />

15<br />

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considered the standard and not the exception. This is<br />

the expectation of the caliber of the students, faculty,<br />

and staff. As a result, HBCUs continue to produce the<br />

largest percentage of leaders, innovators and change<br />

agents of African descent compared to predominately<br />

white institutions (PWIs).<br />

How can prospective students position themselves so<br />

they can afford an HBCU education? Based on my<br />

research and experience, great options include<br />

scholarships, grants, work-study and part-time jobs.<br />

Searching and applying for scholarships takes time and<br />

effort, but it is worth it. Many scholarship deadlines are<br />

from January to August of any given year. Make sure you<br />

Photo, google images<br />

know the specific deadlines and what documents are<br />

needed in order to have a complete packet. Legitimate scholarship programs do not charge an<br />

administrative fee. Some organizations may encourage or mandate a membership fee for eligibility or to<br />

increase your competitive edge. But that is permitted. Some scholarships are renewable. Once you’ve been<br />

awarded that scholarship, you can apply again for up to three more years while you are enrolled in college.<br />

Although, student loans are a means of paying for higher education, there are other ways to pay for your<br />

education without going into deep debt. This is a very personal and substantial decision to make. Please<br />

keep in mind that student loans must be paid back and there are interest rates involved.<br />

Finally, think about which HBCUs are the best fit for you. Consider the academics, the physical environment,<br />

the culture, the location and the cost. You can also research the ranking of the college through the annual<br />

U.S. News and World Report (https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/hbcu). It is a major<br />

decision and choosing the college that is the best fit for you will make a significant impact on your life. Best<br />

wishes!<br />

Resources:<br />

Scholarships: (Research the websites for eligibility and deadlines.)<br />

• UNCF – United Negro College Fund website (for HBCUs connected to UNCF)<br />

• Tom Joyner Foundation website (for attendance at most HBCUs)<br />

• Thurgood Marshall Foundation (for public HBCUs)<br />

• Gates Millennium Scholars website<br />

• Local YMCA Black Achievers program (You must be enrolled in this program and be in good standing.<br />

The college scholarship application deadline is usually in <strong>October</strong>.)<br />

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16


• Local community foundation<br />

• Local chapter of the NAACP<br />

• Your local church<br />

• Local black sororities and fraternities (graduate chapters) – Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma<br />

Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Phi Beta Sigma, Alpha Phi Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, and Kappa Alpha Psi. (You<br />

or your parents do not have to be members to be eligible.)<br />

• Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation (national organization)<br />

• Zeta Phi Beta Educational Foundation (national organization)<br />

• Local chapter – 100 Black Men (of Louisville, etc.)<br />

• Local lodge of the Prince Hall Masons<br />

• Jack and Jill Foundation (and local chapter)<br />

• National Black MBA Association<br />

• Career One Stop Scholarship website<br />

• Your high school’s academic honor societies<br />

• Your intended HBCUs (Contact the Office of Admissions for details.)<br />

• www.Fastweb.com<br />

Other:<br />

• Work-study (You must complete the FAFSA form to be considered.)<br />

• Part-time jobs during college (on campus and off-campus). (Choose reputable businesses that<br />

are flexible with college student class schedules, i.e., coffee shops, retail, etc.)<br />

• Part-time summer job (leading up to college enrollment)<br />

• Fundraisers: Bake sales, art/craft sales, music performance. Money raised goes to your tuition,<br />

etc.<br />

• Family/parental financial support: Talk with your parents to see what they can afford to<br />

contribute.<br />

• Monthly or semester payment plans through the college (Contact the Bursar’s Office.)<br />

Dionne C. Griffiths is a <strong>2018</strong> Martin Luther King, Jr. State Commission Adult Leadership Award recipient,<br />

a former Fulbright Fellow to Trinidad and a freelance writer. She is a graduate of duPont Manual High<br />

School and YPAS, Spelman College (an HBCU) and the University of North Carolina – Greensboro.<br />

Dionne is a current graduate student. She resides in Louisville, KY. She can be reached at<br />

mahoganystyle2020@gmail.com.<br />

17


Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Department<br />

The Model<br />

Recognizing Culturally Responsive and Innovative Classroom Teachers<br />

Name: Janelle Henderson<br />

School: Mill Creek Leadership<br />

Academy<br />

Janelle Henderson is a third grade<br />

teacher at Mill Creek Leadership<br />

Academy and has been teaching for<br />

four years. Her research interests include<br />

culturally sustaining pedagogy, critical<br />

inquiry, and practices to make school<br />

more inclusive for Black students,<br />

specifically Black boys. She is a current<br />

member of Heinemann Fellows, a<br />

national group of 11 K-12 educators<br />

working on action research in their<br />

classrooms and writing about it on the<br />

Heinemann blog. She is also a past<br />

member of the Professional Dyads of<br />

Culturally Responsive Teaching, a<br />

national cohort with the National Council<br />

of Teachers of English (NCTE), where she<br />

and six other primary teachers across the<br />

nation worked with professors to research<br />

Continue on next page<br />

18<br />

Photo by Abdul Sharif


and implement<br />

culturally relevant<br />

teaching practices<br />

in an elementary<br />

classroom.<br />

Janelle is a whole<br />

language reading<br />

instructor who<br />

focuses on<br />

students' being<br />

aware of their<br />

reading processes<br />

and reading books<br />

that the<br />

predominantly black students in her class can identify with, reading authors,<br />

illustrators,<br />

Click here for<br />

and<br />

video<br />

protagonists<br />

story and<br />

that<br />

check<br />

look<br />

out<br />

like them. She most recently co-presented<br />

a<br />

Mr.<br />

closing<br />

Peters’<br />

keynote<br />

article<br />

presentation<br />

on the next page.<br />

at NCTE on how the inquiries she wrote and<br />

implemented about greatness using Muhammad Ali's life as a mentor text to the<br />

greatness of her students, how black hair is political, and and on the history of<br />

the West End, an area she's from. The presentation demonstrated the tenets of<br />

culturally sustaining pedagogy and provided context on how the inquiries helped<br />

students be more engaged, show more agency, and critically think about the<br />

world around them.<br />

Click here for video story.<br />

19


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

Photo, Kentucky Center for the Arts<br />

Brown-Forman Midnite Ramble:<br />

Dance Theatre of Harlem<br />

By Christian Adelberg, The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts<br />

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is thrilled to welcome the internationally<br />

renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) back to Louisville for a special performance Friday,<br />

November 9, <strong>2018</strong>. This is a historic event, as DTH is celebrating 50 years of transforming lives<br />

through the power of its art and its vision of inclusion and access to all. Founded in 1969 by the<br />

legendary Arthur Mitchell and his former teacher, the late Karel Shook, DTH is a globally-acclaimed<br />

dance institution that has occupied a distinguished place in New York City’s cultural landscape and at<br />

the forefront of American artistic achievement.<br />

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As part of this celebration, there will be a student<br />

matinee Friday, November 9 from 11a.m.-12 p.m. in The<br />

Kentucky Center’s Whitney Hall. The Dance Theatre of<br />

Harlem's renowned Lecture Demonstration/<br />

Performance is an informal presentation on the art and<br />

science of dance. Through engaging commentary and<br />

dancing, students learn the rudiments of classical ballet<br />

Photo, Kentucky Center for the Arts<br />

as well as the building-block training process that allows<br />

dancers to achieve excellence in this exacting art form.<br />

The program also includes repertory excerpts, audience engagement activity, and a Q&A. This is<br />

offered for Grades 3-12.<br />

For more information and to secure tickets, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/DTH<strong>2018</strong> or contact<br />

Cecilia Reyna, Kentucky Center Education & Community Arts Program Coordinator,<br />

creyna@kentuckycenter.org or (502) 566-5151.<br />

About Dance Theatre of Harlem<br />

Located on a block officially named “Dance Theatre of Harlem Way” in testament to its enduring<br />

legacy, DTH now comprises a professional touring Company, a school, and a broad range of<br />

community programs. Under the leadership of Virginia Johnson, a former prima ballerina with the<br />

Company who was appointed Artistic Director in 2010, the DTH mission has been revitalized to:<br />

- Present a Company of African American and racially diverse artists who perform the most<br />

demanding repertory at the highest level of quality;<br />

- Maintain a world-class school that trains young people in classical ballet and allied arts; and<br />

- Provide arts education, community outreach, and positive role models for all.<br />

The Company is a racially diverse, 17-member professional dance ensemble that tours across<br />

national and international stages. The DTH Company has performed in 41 countries on six<br />

continents, in 44 states, and more than 250 cities across North America. Last year alone, the<br />

Company performed for nearly 60,000 audience members across the U.S. and reached more than<br />

6,000 during its Home Season at New York City Center.<br />

Focused on a future that is characterized by expansion and engagement, the Company brings<br />

together artists from various dance styles and disciplines (e.g. music, fashion) to create new works<br />

that influence and enhance the ballet art form. Committed to cultivating a community for dancers,<br />

choreographers, and other artists, the DTH Company also serves as a pipeline for talent and an<br />

ambassador for connection on a local, national, and global level.<br />

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The Model<br />

Recognizing Culturally Responsive and Innovative Classroom Teachers<br />

Name: Alyssa Riedy<br />

School: Olmsted Academy North<br />

A<br />

lyssa Riedy is a 6th year<br />

teacher at Olmsted Academy<br />

North. She is originally from Ohio,<br />

where she received her bachelors in<br />

education from University of<br />

Findlay. Alyssa has since received<br />

her Masters in Instructional<br />

Technology and plans to operate a<br />

paperless classroom in the near<br />

future. She works as a co-chair for<br />

her school’s (Science, Technology,<br />

Engineering, Art, Math) STEAM<br />

committee and is active in JCPS’s<br />

twitter Professional Learning<br />

Network under the handle,<br />

@MissRiedy.<br />

Click here for video story.<br />

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Photo by Abdul Sharif


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

The Day You Begin<br />

by Jacqueline Woodson<br />

Nancy Paulsen Books (August 28, <strong>2018</strong>)<br />

For Kindergarten – 3rd<br />

Books for Young Readers<br />

Bruja Born<br />

by Zoraida Cordova<br />

Sourcebooks Fire (June 5, <strong>2018</strong>)<br />

For grades 6-12<br />

National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time<br />

Pura Belpre Illustrator Award winner Rafael Lopez are a winning<br />

combination in this beautiful picture book about the ways we feel<br />

different from one another. When we find the courage to share<br />

our stories, our similarities can bring us together.<br />

When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana<br />

by Michael James Mahin<br />

Atheneum Books for Young Readers (September 4, <strong>2018</strong>)<br />

For Preschool – 3rd grade<br />

<br />

This is the second book in the Brooklyn Brujas series, although it<br />

is not necessary to read the first book because this book does<br />

standalone. Lula Mortiz feels like an outsider in her own family<br />

and to make matters worse her steady boyfriend dumps her. Then<br />

a bus crash changes Lula’s life. Her classmates are all dead,<br />

including her boyfriend Maks, but Lula has healing magical<br />

powers and she’s convinced she can bring him back with help<br />

from her sisters. Lula doesn’t realize she will be defying the laws<br />

of magic and death herself. Her actions spark a zombie invasion!<br />

No joke. An epic zombie invasion! Now it’s up to Lula and her<br />

magical sisters to battle it out in a wild and crazy showdown.<br />

A vibrant and magical picture book biography about Carlos<br />

Santana as he developed the unique sound that would come to<br />

define his career as a musician.<br />

Images obtained from Google Images..<br />

Information provided by Heather Lee, Louisville Free Public Library<br />

23


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

Community Announcements<br />

Doing Business With JCPS Workshop<br />

This event is for minority and women business<br />

partnerships with Jefferson County Public<br />

Schools. It will be held on <strong>October</strong> 9, 1:00 to<br />

3:00 p.m., at C.B. Young Jr. Service Center. To<br />

RSVP, visit http://bit.ly/jcpsmwbe.<br />

West Louisville Chess Club<br />

Monday, <strong>October</strong> 08, <strong>2018</strong> - 04:00 PM - 05:00<br />

PM<br />

Come out and learn how to play chess with the<br />

West Louisville Chess Club. Learn basics,<br />

fundamentals, most effective tactics and<br />

checkmate strategies to compete in our<br />

tournament for Grades K-12. Adults are<br />

welcome to participate in the chess sessions<br />

and observe the tournament as well. A chess<br />

tournament will be held on Saturday <strong>October</strong><br />

20 from 11am-1pm. For more information or if<br />

you would like to sign up, please call (502)<br />

574-1779.<br />

W.E. Women Engaged<br />

Saturday, <strong>October</strong>, 27 - 9:30 a.m. - Noon<br />

Louisville Urban League, 1535 W. Broadway<br />

Women Engaged aims to encourage, empower,<br />

excel, equip and explore life for the good of<br />

ourselves, our families and our communities<br />

We want to see women everywhere, standing<br />

strong in unity, investing in our communities,<br />

and supporting, strengthening and celebrating<br />

one another in spirit, wisdom and truth<br />

Core Values:<br />

– Improve self and increase overall awareness<br />

of who we are<br />

– Initiate conversation, interact with, include<br />

and seek to build relationships with all people<br />

– Involve and invest ourselves in our<br />

neighborhoods, businesses and stakeholders in<br />

the community<br />

– Identify needs individually and collectively,<br />

proactively taking action whenever possible<br />

– Inspire, influence, inform and equip our youth<br />

and young adults to become productive<br />

citizens<br />

– Increase care for our bodies and souls<br />

For more information, please contact:<br />

Dianne Lewis Brown<br />

502.939.5622<br />

dl_brown@bellsouth.net<br />

The University of Louisville Student Parent<br />

Association in collaboration with the<br />

Women's Center is sponsoring Student parent<br />

advocate, author and businesswoman Sherill<br />

Mosee on campus Thursday, <strong>October</strong> 11, <strong>2018</strong><br />

at 7 p.m. She will speak on “From Diapers &<br />

Degrees to Handbags: My Entrepreneurial<br />

Journey.”<br />

This free and open to the public event will take<br />

place in the College of Business (Horn<br />

Auditorium) at 7:00 p.m. (A light reception will<br />

follow).<br />

24


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

Title Session Code Date & Time Location Contact<br />

Speak and Film Series:<br />

Viva La Causa<br />

Equity and Inclusion<br />

Unit<br />

18-1996505 <strong>October</strong> 3<br />

3:30 to 5:00 p.m.<br />

18-1997888 <strong>October</strong> 8<br />

8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.<br />

GOLD DAY<br />

Muhammad Ali Center<br />

Kentucky Exposition<br />

Center<br />

Dr. Monica Lakhwani<br />

485-7269<br />

Dr. Charles C. Davis, Jr.<br />

485-7898<br />

Culture, Attitude,<br />

Students, and Equity<br />

(CASE) Fall Cohort<br />

18-1997925 <strong>October</strong> 11 and 24,<br />

November 7 and 18,<br />

and December 3<br />

4:30 to 6:30<br />

Marion C. Moore<br />

School<br />

Dr. Toetta Taul<br />

485-8304<br />

SBDM: Continuous<br />

Improvement Planning<br />

18-1996897 <strong>October</strong> 15<br />

4:30 to 7:30 p.m.<br />

Middletown Elementary<br />

Dr. Shawna Stenton<br />

485-3056<br />

Neurodiversity<br />

Approach for Learners<br />

18-1996491 <strong>October</strong> 15<br />

4:00 to 5:30 p.m.<br />

Fern Creek High School<br />

Dr. Monica Lakhwani<br />

485-7269<br />

Student Empowerment<br />

and Inclusive Pedagogy<br />

18-1997698 <strong>October</strong> 15<br />

4:30 to 6:30 p.m.<br />

Farmer Elementary<br />

School<br />

Telva Hogan<br />

485-7318<br />

Girl Trauma:<br />

Misbehavior or<br />

Misunderstood<br />

18-1997204 <strong>October</strong> 16<br />

4:00 to 6:00 p.m.<br />

Atherton High School<br />

Vanessa Posey<br />

485-3631<br />

Culturally Responsive<br />

Reading<br />

18-1996488 <strong>October</strong> 18<br />

4:30 to 6:30 p.m.<br />

Engelhard Elementary<br />

School<br />

Dr. Monica Lakhwani<br />

485-7269<br />

Hip Hop Summit:<br />

Making Music Matter<br />

for Diverse Learners<br />

18-1997375 <strong>October</strong> 18<br />

4:30 to 7:30 p.m.<br />

Central High School<br />

MCA<br />

Vanessa Posey<br />

485-3631<br />

Book Study: Between<br />

the World and Me<br />

18-1996507 <strong>October</strong> 22 and 29, and<br />

November 7<br />

4:00 to 5:00 p.m.<br />

VanHoose Education<br />

Center<br />

Dr. Monica Lakhwani<br />

485-7269<br />

Language Learners and<br />

Language Services<br />

18-1996495 <strong>October</strong> 24<br />

4:00 to 5:00 p.m.<br />

W.E.B. DuBois<br />

Academy<br />

Dr. Monica Lakhwani<br />

485-7269<br />

LGBTQ Support<br />

Coaches: Resources<br />

18-1996511 <strong>October</strong> 25<br />

4:15 to 5:45 p.m.<br />

Shively Branch Library<br />

(3920 Dixie Highway)<br />

Dr. Monica Lakhwani<br />

485-7269<br />

25


ENVISION EQUITY OCTOBER <strong>2018</strong><br />

Announcing...<br />

"The Model"<br />

Starting in the September edition of<br />

Envision Equity, we will highlight sample<br />

lesson plans and videos of Jefferson<br />

County Public Schools (JCPS) classroom<br />

teachers who are culturally responsive and<br />

innovative. This new section of Envision<br />

Equity will be called “The Model.”<br />

If you are a JCPS teacher or know of a<br />

JCPS teacher who should be highlighted as<br />

a model of culturally responsive and<br />

innovative classroom practices, please<br />

submit his or her contact information to<br />

abdul.sharif2@jefferson.kyschools.us by<br />

the 15th of each month.<br />

Editor—Catherine Collesano<br />

Editor, Photo Contributor—Abdul Sharif<br />

Credits<br />

Special thanks to all of our community partners and educators who helped make this special edition of<br />

Envision Equity possible.<br />

Envision Equity is a publication of the JCPS Department of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs. All<br />

submissions should be sent to Catherine Collesano at catherine.collesano@jefferson.kyschools.us or Abdul<br />

Sharif at abdul.sharif2@jefferson.kyschools.us. If you are interested in becoming a subscriber or a<br />

contributor to Envision Equity, please contact one of the editors at the above email address.<br />

www.jefferson.kyschools.us<br />

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities<br />

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