PDF: Hudson City School District Launches New Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness Strategies
The Hudson City School District is steadfast in its commitment to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for each student. We consider our diverse student population as an asset to be celebrated and nurtured through differentiated instruction based on each student’s learning style.
We prioritize building a culture of dignity, integrity, and belonging for each student and staff member by embracing their unique backgrounds and cultures, encouraging constructive dialogue, respecting multiple perspectives, and striving for understanding.
Our overall goal is to teach 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, to each student by offering meaningful and relevant curriculum, high-quality instruction, multiple learning opportunities, and varied social contexts to prepare them for college, careers, global society, and life.
With this foundation, our school district is embarking on a newly strategized journey to advance our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This new initiative intentionally includes voices from all our schools, including employees in a broad range of roles who will serve as stakeholders and thought partners. Efforts will be guided in part by the New York State Education Department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy and Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework, which promote equitable opportunities that help each student thrive.
Highlights of our school district’s new DEI Action Plan:
- We are reconstituting our district-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Ten members, in addition to school district leadership, will each serve for one year. This is designed to welcome fresh voices into the discussion annually. Members will help formulate and implement strategies, training, and programs in their schools and departments.
- To build trust and respect, the DEI Committee will be guided by a clear mission, meeting times, and a defined timeline for action steps ranging from training to programming.
- The DEI Committee will also employ focused criteria for applicants, with clear tasks, expectations, and a reporting structure to the school district’s leadership. Information on how to apply ensures that those who share the mission have ample opportunity to step forward. Applications will be accepted starting the first week of January (information will be forthcoming), followed by interviews and the first team meeting soon afterward.
- A commitment to transparency will be ingrained in all efforts. This is designed to encourage accountability and inspire insightful, broad-based feedback so essential to our progress.
- External partners, such as parents, businesses, and civic organizations, are also integral to each student’s success. Both external and internal DEI Community members will meet regularly to share feedback, be apprised of initiatives, review data, and develop action steps. Collaboration will cultivate trust and respect. The school district has already received initial positive community feedback on this new initiative.
The transformation has begun. Building and District leaders have received training. Faculty and staff will receive training this spring. We will measure progress and success with markers that include evaluations, feedback surveys, and qualitative and quantitative metrics.
The Hudson City School District views our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as a powerful opportunity to support academic priorities in collaborative, healthy, and healing ways. Thank you for contributing to an environment in which each student’s dignity is valued.
To learn more, please visit the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page on the Hudson City School District’s webpage. We will continue to provide updates about this important work.
Sincerely,
Dr. Juliette Pennyman, Superintendent
Dr. Tia L. Pressey, Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
#HudsonTogetherWeCan