Empowering Multicultural Initiatives

District Leadership Team • Lexington, Massachusetts

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Each school in Lexington has a site-based committee within the school, consisting of teachers, administrators and parents. These groups plan and support anti-bias/anti-racist school activities.

Elementary Schools

Secondary Schools

Bowman Diversity Committee

Co-Chairs:
Cheryl Forsythe - cforsythe@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
Judy Rosenberg - jrosenberg@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us

Projects and Activities

  • International Immigration Mural panels, 4 outside,1 inside: Five 5th Grade classes created murals with the assistance Josh Weiner, internationally known muralist. They were based on immigration and the cultures within the bldg.
  • Tapes of children's songs in languages around the world: Tapes have been contributed by Bowman families to be played during snack or transition time. The goal is to create an international auditory environment that reflects the diversity of the school.
  • Recognition and sharing at assemblies of new year's traditions throughout the school year(Jewish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Bahai, North American)
  • Daily morning announcements include comments in Spanish and other languages from students
  • Parents sharing cultural traditions in classrooms
  • Bowman International Family Welcoming Network: a network of people to assist families from other countries as they enter Bowman
  • Wall of Peace: signs which say "peace" in multiple languages

Bridge School Diversity Committee

Chair: JoHannah Katz - jkatz@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
Projects and Activities
  • Students of Color Mentoring Program
  • Family Photo Flip Chart in the main hall
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Projects
  • Student Affinity Groups
  • Ongoing review of forms and procedures for cultural and ethnic bias
  • School-wide Literature Assemblies with book discussions
    • If the World were a Village by David Smith
    • Teamwork by Peter Golenbock
    • Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
  • Bridge mural on diversity; external wall of the school

Estabrook School Anti-Bias Committe

Co-Chairs:
Jesse Richardson - jrichardson@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
Vickie Parker - vapkids@hotmail.com

Projects and Activities

  • International Games Day 
  • International Dinner 
  • Differing Families Movie Night 
  • Diversity Book Bags
  • Students of Color Mentoring Program
  • Diversity Book Fair for teachers
  • Black History Month and Triva Contest
  • Books representing all families in each classroom
  • Parent sharing of cultural traditions at school assemble
  • Multicultural resource library for teachers
  • Fifth Grade viewing of "That's A Family" video

Fiske School

Co-Chairs:
Lien Ho - h389@rcn.com
Anastasia Galanopoulos - galanopoulos@wheelock.edu

Projects and Activities

  • "Welcoming Diversity...Family Potluck Supper" 
  • "New Years Around the World"- whole school fair  
  • "Multicultural Corner" - presentations on major holidays from our community 

Harrington School Diversity Team

Co-Chairs:
Rosemary Trowbridge - rosetrow@rcn.com
Mike Spencer - mspencer@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
 
Projects and Activities
  • Diversity Bags
  • Diversity Videos / Discussion
  • Multicultural Calendar
  • Multicultural Assemblies & workshops for students
    • Chinese Art & Culture
    • Indian Dance & Gandhi's philosophy
  • World of Difference workshops for staff
  • Multicultural breakfast for 1st grade students and parents
  • International Food Festival on open house night for parents, students and staff
  • PTA presentation, "What is a Family?"

Maria Hastings School Anti-Bias Committee for Diversity

Co-Chairs:
Victoria Buckley - vbuckley@rcn.com
Lisa Berk - lberk@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
 
Projects and Activities
  • PTA Website
  • Diversity Bookbags
  • Multicultural Puppets
  • International Potluck Supper
  • Meru Foundation Grant: Indian Studies
  • Multicultural Recipi Book (in progress)
  • Video Project:Everyone Belongs, Everyone Learns: Anti-bias Education at Maria Hastings School
  • Student Affinity Groups
  • Staff Book Club read and discussed:
    • Rethinking Our Classrooms, v.2
    • The Other Boston Busing Story
    • The Model Minority

William Diamond Middle School Diversity Committee

Chair: Kathleen Reynolds - kreynolds@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
Projects and Activities
  • Mentoring Program
  • Bridges to Boston
    • Faculty travelled to Boston
    • Bridges Club: movie of Boston neighborhoods and students
    • Diversity Club: read quotations over public address system
  • Rethinking Our Classrooms text given to all faculty

Jonas Clarke Middle School Anti-Bias Design Team

Co-Chairs:
Ellen Korin
Pam Houlares - houlares@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
 
Projects and Activities
  • METCO Potluck Supper in Roxbury
  • Student discusssions about bullying
  • Creation of a breakfast program for students to meet before school
  • Affintity Groups
  • Mentoring program for 6th grade Boston students
  • Journey through China workshops, co-sponsored by a parent Chinese cultural group

 

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