Hi Families,
I am copying Amy's important email about our new families of color affinity group below. To the SES Community, I hope the break was replenishing for our community--I’m very excited to see your children today! I wanted to take a moment to share an update about our Parents Talk Racial Equity (PTRE) group. For the remainder of this year, SES parents are invited to attend parent equity meetings at other schools, while here, at Sunnyside, we will be offering a monthly affinity space meeting for parents and staff of color (see details below). As many of you know, my most deeply held belief, personally and professionally, is that schools can change the world if we commit to love, community and anti-racist, revolutionary, education. This belief, literally, gets me out of bed in the morning, inspires me, pushes me, and will continue to be the driving force in my life as long as I’m on the planet. I am eternally grateful for the thought partners I’ve found at Sunnyside in regard to this work, many of them parents who have participated in our PTRE group over the last several years. A dedicated group of parent volunteers have led the PTRE sessions, using their time on weekends and evenings to build trust with each other and plan these incredibly important monthly sessions for parents. In working closely with them, we have decided to change the PTRE format for the remainder of the year here at Sunnyside. This is an excerpt from an email they sent before the break, one that went to the PTRE listserve: “We strive to be intentional in our process, and we must address how to create a sustainable commitment to this work through the capacity of parent volunteers. Additionally we will be assessing the needs of our SES community while collaborating with other PPS school sites and their parent equity groups, who are also prioritizing and operationalizing their commitments to racial equity at the parent level. In the meantime you are invited to join in these conversations taking place in other schools throughout the district. Alameda: https://www.pps.net/Page/11472 Mt Tabor: Courageous Conversations About Race, co-sponsored by Glencoe Elementary School PTA “A community event of engagement, truth, discomfort, and non-closure via conversations about race” November 30, 2017 (this was the first meeting, upcoming meetings below) January 25, 2018 February 22, 2018 All conversations are held at Glencoe Elementary School Cafeteria. Pizza dinner at 5:30 p.m., followed by conversation from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Please RSVP to [email protected]. Childcare provided; please note in RSVP.” Affinity Groups for parents, staff and students of color at Sunnyside: SES is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment that values diversity. To this end, we are establishing affinity groups for families, students, and staff of color. An "Affinity Group" intends to connect people of color to support each other, share perspectives, and inform and impact school-wide policy, practices, and decisions. The first of these meetings will be Thursday, January 11, 6:30-8:30 pm with childcare and dinner provided. If you are a staff member, parent or student of color and would like to attend, please RSVP to our assistant principal, Shannon McClure, using the following link. Because I don’t identify as a person of color I will not be attending these meetings. Shannon will be the main point of contact for folks: Thank you all and Happy 2018! Amy
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