The Equity Resolution is the culmination of efforts that took place over the past two years by Equity Leaders in our district and community, particularly our BIPoC Community (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). The Resolution was drafted using proposals from the Minoritized Educator Roundtable (BIPoC NTPS Educators),  River Ridge Black Student Union and the NTPS Equity Advisory Team.

Read the Resolution

At its basic level, equity means "fairness or justice in the way people are treated", but at NTPS equity means working hard to ensure our actions, policies, and programs at NTPS are free from bias and treatment on the basis of race & ethnicity, gender identity & sexual orientation, income, ability, language & culture.

Phases to understanding

Working towards a goal of equity in our district will be ongoing work. We've divided some of the actions into phases (see below):

Phase 1:

• Identify and acknowledge the disparities in our data and believe that we have the efficacy to eliminate the gaps identified.
• Recognize that words matter. The brain research shows that the language we use can help or hinder our efforts in preparing all students for rewarding careers, fulfilling lives and compassionate global citizenship.
• Understand how our habits, attitudes, beliefs and expectations can positively or negatively impact our relationships with students and families.
• Accept that we all have scotoma (blind spots) and understand how this impacts our work with students and families.

Phase 2:

• Recognize the long list of social injustices in our history that continue to impact us today.
• Acknowledge that we are conditioned by stereotypes and must become aware of how these stereotypes affect us and our students and families.
• Understand that institutionalized racism exits and negatively impacts people of color, LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, and more.
• Become literate about race, history, stereotypes, institutionalized racism and socio-political factors that impact us, our students, and families.

Phase 3:

• Be aware of any privileges we hold based on our race, socio-economic status, gender, gender identity, sexual identity, abilities and more.
• Identify our unconscious biases that cause us to judge others.
• Understand that our positive intent does not always mean having a positive impact on others.

Phase 4:

• Build our capacity to lean into uncomfortable conversations about race, gender, gender identity, sexual identity, socio-economic status, disabilities and more.
• Recognize micro-aggressions and know how to intervene in the moment.
• Accept feedback when someone expresses a negative impact based on something we said/did.
• Know what it means to be an ally and ways we can respectfully "show up" to support people who are experiencing inequity.
• Identify ways we can respectfully advocate for people who are experiencing inequities.

Phase 5:

• Embrace and utilize culturally responsive teaching practices every day and create a culturally responsive school environment.
• Build rigorous joy (powerful learning experiences) into every lesson.
• Implement restorative practices that support our students and build positive relationships.

Our classrooms are the most important places in our district and where the true work happens. These are just some of the areas that teachers can choose to cover in their classrooms. Please contact the Equity Department if you have further questions.

Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards

This year our district is diving into the Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards. Staff will have the opportunity to review the standards, align them with current instructional standards, and identify opportunities to embed these standards into lessons. 
www.tolerance.org

Download the Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards Classroom Tools >> (PDF)

Ethnic Studies Cohort

North Thurston Public School’s data continues to show racial disparities in graduation, attendance, discipline and academic performance which led the Equity Advisory Team to develop an Ethnic Studies proposal for our district. OSPI recently approved to develop a K-12 Ethnic Studies Framework. What is Ethnic Studies? A study of race, ethnicity, and culture, while examining social, political, historical, and cultural influences. Stay tuned!

Black Lives Matter Resources

We celebrate Black Lives Matter week during the first week of February annually, and classrooms are encouraged to recognize Black History and more.

• BLM Week Activities 2021
• Black Lives Matter at School
• BLM 13 Guiding Principles Elementary
• BLM 13 Guiding Principles

Student Conferences

We send students to these conferences annually.

• Stay Woke
• FIRE Summit
• Latinx Youth Summit
• Young, Gifted, & Black
• GLSEN Washington LGBTQ+ Youth Leadership

Books in the classroom

• See the 2020-21 LGBTQIA+ book selections >>
• Hispanic Heritage Month Book Collection at the Timberland Library
• Access Timberland Library's digital resources

North Thurston Public Schools does not exist without its community and families and look to connect and partner with numerous community and family leadership groups. Check back often to see the latest opportunities to partner with NTPS in their equity initiatives:

Family & Community Collaboration

• North Thurston Community Leadership (NTCL): In partnership with the Somali Parent Education Board, the NTCL is a parent & community leadership team dedicated to co-creating race and equity best practices throughout our district. This includes the use of Community Cafés (check our calendar for the upcoming dates)
• Multicultural Action Council: Comprised of parents, students, educators, and citizens interested in facilitating communication and understanding between diverse elements of the NTPS student body, staff, and community. More information >>
• NTPS Equity Advisory Team (EAT): This Team consists of community members & organizations, parents, and staff throughout our district. They help guide our goals and policies and help draft mini lessons for classrooms. More information >>
• Minoritized Educators Roundtable (MER): This team consists of NTPS educators (teachers) who are Black & Indigenous People of Color (BIPoC) as a way to connect and support BIPoC staff and students. More information >>
• Mentors! Program: A program designed to match students with community members to share experience. Connections are made that best serve students strengths & goals. More information >>
• Tribal Partnership: An ongoing effort to partner with the Nisqually tribal community, including student programs, land acknowledgement, curriculum & culture classroom lessons, and school board / tribal council work sessions. More information >>

NTPS's Equity work is long-term. The Equity Resolution will continue to grow and change (with committees of staff, families, and community) helping it along the way.

Policies & Practices

• Race and Equity Governing Policy (PDF)
• 2020 Equity Resolution
• Anti-racist Text Selection Tools
• Cultural Appropriation Guiding Questions (PDF)
• Anti-racist Decision-Making Tool: PAUSE in NTPS (PDF) | PAUSE in NTPS Survey
• NTPS Restorative Practices

Monthly Articles

• December 2020: How to be an antiracist educator by Dena Simmons
• November 2020: Why Teaching Black Lives Matter Matters Part I by Jamilah Pitts
• October 2020: So you want to fight white supremacy by Ijemoa Oluo
• September 2020: Avoiding Racial Equity Detours by Paul Gorski (PDF)

Additional Reading

• Criteria for an Equitable School — Equity Audit 2020 by Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (PDF)
• A History: The Construction of Race & Racism from the Western States Center (PDF)
• Culturally Responsive Teaching from the Equity Assistance Center at Education Northwest (PDF)
• White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh (PDF)
• White Racial Identity Development by Janet E. Helms (PDF)

Contact our Equity department at equity@nthurston.k12.wa.us