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The following are a list of activities and programs being facilitated and/or supported by GCS Diversity Office:
Scheduled Diversity Trainings with School Staffs and or Leadership Teams
The Diversity Office is currently providing Diversity Training to the following Guilford County Schools: Erwin Montessori, Brown Summit, Jamestown Middle, Cone Elementary, Northwest Middle, Weaver Academy, Northeast Middle, Welborn Middle, and Southwest High. Several of these schools are receiving diversity training for their faculty, while others are receiving training for their Leadership or PBS teams. The training calendar is still open for participation. Please contact Mildred Wiggins in the Diversity Office at (336) 370-3284.
Cultural Diversity Training Course available through Professional Development:
A five-part Diversity Training Course is being offered to staff and employees district wide via a Professional Development Training Course. It is an evening course held scheduled to be held (5) consecutive Mondays beginning November 19th. Participants will gain a greater sense of the cultural experiences and challenges of diverse learning groups within our district as well as learn to evaluate school and classroom culture and practices which pose particular difficulty for diverse learners. (This is an Evening Course)
Johnetta B. Cole’s Diversity and Inclusion Institute’s PowerGirls Leadership Network
Guilford County Schools has signed on as a network partner with Johnetta B. Cole’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute’s POWERGIRLS Network. The PowerGirls Global Leadership Network connects young women from local communities and expands globally---pushing young women to set a new standard for excellence. Through mentoring, character development and exposure to professional excellence, PowerGirls Network seeks to arm young women with the knowledge and readiness for competition and excellence in the workplace and worldplace. Guilford County Schools have been offered an exclusive invitation to have our female (9-12) girls serve as the Home Network to the project. Participation in the project includes subscription to the PowerGirls Magazine, access to an internet based multimedia network, potential scholarships, eligibility to participate in a summer leadership institute and an annual global summit. For more information, you may contact the Diversity Office at (336) 370-3284.
Diversity Awareness Month – Guest Speaker, Dr. Edwin J. Nichols
On Wednesday, October 24th, the Diversity Office will host Dr. Edwin J. Nichols, Clinical Industrial Psychologist, who will present a lecture/workshop addressing “Developing Models for Teaching Diverse Student Populations.” The program will be held at Hairston Middle School’s Amphitheater at 3911 Naco Road, from 6:00 – 8:30 pm. Dr. Nichols is recognized nationally and internationally for his work in helping organizations achieve systemic congruence and cultural competence
Support of Middle School’s Character Education Project
Diversity Office has partnered with the Student Services Office to provide support, resource and consultation to Dr. Phil Vincent and the various schools and counseling staff participating in the Character Ed Program. Additionally, the Diversity Office has facilitated the engagement and involvement of NCCJ (National Conference for Community and Justice) in delivering training to (5) of the (6) middle schools participating in this project.
Community Problem Solving for High Schoolers: (Bennett & A&T Middle Colleges)
The Diversity Office is offering a unique course opportunity to (2) of our alternative high schools. It is not a regular course, but rather a special seminar. The seminar, which meets twice a month, introduces students to an approach, some concepts, and some skills for solving problems in our communities. A primary goal of our discussions is to define a vision for improving achievement and promoting success among African-American Youth. Students will discuss and study different approaches to changing their lives and the condition of their communities. We focus on how we speak with and listen to each other, some pressures on our thinking, understanding “paradigm shifts” and organizing for change. The premise of learning in this class is aimed at creating critical thinkers who learn how to effectively change their own lives.
Parent Advocacy Project
Guilford County Schools’ Diversity and School Support Offices are providing assistance and support to The Human Relations Education Committee newly formed Parent Advocacy Project. The Parent Advocacy Project was established under the auspices of the Human Relations Education Committees representing both Greensboro and High Point. The purpose of the project is to strengthen the involvement of parents of color, while improving conditions, school environment and academic outcomes for children of color in the GCS district. For more information about either project, you may contact, Yamile Walker, Program Administrator, Greensboro Human Relations Dept., (336) 373-2038 or Al Heggins, Director, High Point Human Relations Dept., at (336) 883-3125.
School Climate TaskForce
GCS Diversity Officer was also appointed to serve on the School Climate Task Force. The Diversity Officer serves on and provides support to all of the Task Force committees.
On-going Support to Human Resources Department Right Start New Teacher Orientation
Provide mini-diversity workshops for new employees to the GCS district, in addition to providing workshop for Principal’s Summer Leadership Institute.
Teaching for Tolerance Nationwide Campaign for “Mix It Up at Lunch Day”
The Diversity Office is encouraging our high and middle schools (Grades 7-12) to consider participating in the nationally sponsored “Mix It Up at Lunch Day”, November 13, 2007. Mix it up is a nationwide campaign that supports students who want to identify, question and cross social boundaries that separate them from each other and help build inclusive welcoming learning environments. In 2006, an estimated four million students in more than 10,000 schools participated in Mix it up at Lunch Day. For those schools interested in participating you may log onto www.mixitup.org, to receive a planner pack and more details about the initiative.
Community Presentations:
North Carolina A&T Principal Cohort Interns Class - September 12, 2007
(Winston Salem-Forsyth County Schools)
UNCG School of Education (Diversity in Education –Undergraduate Class) – September 25th
UNC-CH School of Social Work (Graduate Class) October 9th.
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