DEIA Better Together - A Season to Reflect

The Better Together Podcast hosts/producers Anthony Beckett, Camille Jones, and Everette Callaway recap key points and favorite moments from past episodes and discuss their vision for the 26-27 school year.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

It's your co-hosts, Anthony, me, and Everett.

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Welcome and thank you for joining us for another episode of DEIA Better Together.

SPEAKER_04 0:17

Thank you for joining us for DEIA Better Together. It's another beautiful day at LCPS, and today we're going to talk about our favorite moments over our second season of the DEIA podcast.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Before we dive into our main topic, we're going to have an appetizer. Alphabet Sue. Today's letter is N. Camille, Everett. What is a letter starting with the letter N that resonates with you and connects to equity work?

SPEAKER_00 0:44

I think the word that comes to mind first for me is neighbor. I feel like I was at the tail end of the generation. I was still watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and the idea of like, won't you be my neighbor? I really loved because there are so many terms that we use that's like you're in proximity to this person, but it's not necessarily by choice, you know, like your family or your coworkers or your neighbors or your you know people that you just run into in the street. But to be intentional about being a community member, I think is so important. Um, and so I the idea of being neighborly, of although we are together by circumstance, we are going to put intention and purpose into our connection and try and be there for each other and support each other and just uh be in community. So my my word is neighbor.

SPEAKER_04 1:42

My word um is non-negotiable.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Ooh.

SPEAKER_04 1:47

Um, I think that often uh people in spaces think about equity as an option, they think of it as a side uh dessert, if you will, um, to the meal. And I view it as something that has to be present in order for the whole thing to go, in order for any other facet of one's existence to work out well, I think that equity, diversity, inclusion, inclusion needs to all be present. Um so when I think of an N-word, I think non-negotiable.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

And interestingly enough, um I my word was necessity. Um, because also in the same vein that like DEIA, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, it is not an add-on, it's not a good feel thing. Um, and again, aligning in the connotation of food, um DEIA equity work is either the plate or the table or the fork or the spoon. So it is the tools in which we're using to ensure that we have the access to the nourishment, the supplements, all the things that we need to be successful, to grow, to contribute. So that would be my word. So we have neighbor, non-negotiable and necessity.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Yes. All right. Our main focus for today's podcast will be our podcast episodes from season two. We're going to talk about some of our engaging guests, our favorite and most poignant moments, and some of our hopes for the future of this podcast and for our work.

SPEAKER_04 3:24

To offer insight into this topic, our guests today are ourselves, DEIA specialists, and the writers, editors, and producers of this podcast. Anthony? Come here. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey in education and your current role within LCBS?

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Surely. Um, so picture it, 2015. Uh no, but truly, uh I actually started in education um officially as a certified licensed educator, lateral entry, um in 2015. But even before that, I was actually a pre-K teacher. Um uh yeah, a pre-K teacher to start it all. And from there, I had a variety of different roles and opportunities. I worked in HIV, AIDS, prevention, um, and then eventually coming into the classroom. And during that time, that also had me navigating and traveling a little bit. So I started teaching in Charlotte, North Carolina. Um, from there, I moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where I continued to teach middle school all day, every day, um, middle school language arts specifically. Um, and just in that time, I was always adamant about one being the best teacher that I could be with with all that I had. But then beyond that, as I continued to learn and further develop who I was as an educator and then eventually acquiring understanding as of equity, um becoming a practitioner as well, I was really focusing on how can we make school better for every single student. And from there, that really started to shift and navigate my trajectory. Um, while in Alabama, I left the public school industry or sector and entered in charter school, public charter school industry as a founding teacher at the Magic City Acceptance Academy, one of the first and only LGBTQ affirming and accepting um charter schools in the state of Alabama. And then from there, I was ready for leadership and I moved to Build Up Community School, still in Alabama, a workforce development high school as their high school principal. The title was Dean of Culture and Curriculum, but it was the principal. And that exposed me to so much just awareness of what the student learning experience actually is looking at it now from pre-K through grade 12 and seeing what works, what doesn't, and where we need to do some further lifting. So, really, really excited to be here and as always contributing and collaborating with my two colleagues.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

I also taught preschool, so shout out to those that handle the little ones with the most energy and their tiny little bodies. Um I am going to take it back to like the very beginning of my education. Um, I just always, and we've talked about this off air, I've always had a very strong sense of justice. And so looking out for the little guy, um, looking out for kids that were younger than me, trying to be the referee at recess, like that was kind of always my MO. Um and so as I got older, all of the jobs that I had outside of one, I worked at a bakery for a little while, but everything besides that was in childcare. I worked as a nanny, I was a camp counselor, I was a preschool teacher, um, so I always kind of knew I was gonna go into education, even if I didn't know in the front of my mind. Once I told people I had changed my major and I was gonna be a teacher, they were like, oh, of course, Camille is gonna be a teacher. Um, so I started formally my senior year of college, I was a long-term sub at a private school in Pennsylvania, and that was my first experience really being in the classroom, and I really, really loved it. Um, I loved being in the private school settings. I didn't really have to worry as much about standardized testing, and I had the time to really tailor the curriculum to what my kids wanted and needed. Um, so when I graduated, I started teaching at a small private school outside of Annapolis, and I started in 2020, so I picked an excellent time to dive in. Um, the metaphor that was constantly brought up was like drinking out of a fire hose, and that was real. Um, so I started, I had an advisory of students that were freshmen, and I was at that school for four years. So I kind of was learning and growing as I learned with them. Um, I taught Spanish, and then I was also the upper school DEI coordinator, so that's when I kind of started to dip my toes into doing the work that I had been doing in my personal life in a more formal setting and doing it for students more directly. Um, and then I started here at LCPS in 2024. So this is like coming up on the end of year two. It's been such a whirlwind experience, and I've learned so much about the public school sector, just seeing all the differences between the amount of resources, the amount of time you spend on certain things, um, the systems of support that teachers have, the understanding that people have at this top admin executive level versus like, you know, how is that support getting down to the classroom teachers? So it's just been like a great learning experience for me being um in this role as a specialist. Everett, can you tell us a little bit about your journey?

SPEAKER_04 8:36

My journey in education. Um, so I am a third-generation educator on both sides, um, and I avoided it like the plague. I um when I was in college, I worked as a hall director in a some in a summer gifted program for students uh that I had attended when I was in high school, loved it, uh, but majored in biology and then went and got a job doing something completely different, and fully ignored that there was an opportunity to work in a space that was aligned with who you are and that you can enjoy and that you could pour into other people. And then I bought into the idea that no work can't be this thing. Like I had just accepted that, that's what it was. Uh then I worked in corporate for about 10 years, and while I was there, I really kept feeling a longing, like I felt a pull to a space, uh, but I didn't know how to make it work. Um, so in 2017, a friend of mine reached out and was like, I know that you're interested in transitioning into education, uh, here's an opportunity to do so. And so I came out uh to Loudon County and was able to get a role as a career switcher teaching biology, and it really shifted everything for me. So, as far as I'm concerned, my true career did not start until that moment. Um, I often think about when people talk about um working in education and things like that, what I will say, and it's not people's favorite, and we hate to call things a calling and things like that. I think when you are doing this with fidelity, if you find yourself specifically with the title educator, that is not something that you pick up and you decide for you. It is something that was decided for you, and it's just whether or not you actually step into it.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:22

Um, and when I stepped into it, I was like, oh, this is where I was supposed to be, and I've accepted that I was supposed to be there when I got there. I think that every other thing that happened led me to that moment. Uh so I was in the classroom for five years, and then I transitioned onto this team as back then it was an instructional facilitator for culture responsive instruction. Um and I and I talked to um Charles Barrett uh about this. I call I often call myself a teacher on special assignment, uh, where I don't feel the disconnection from the student. I try to keep that centered in any piece of work that I'm doing. How will this impact a student? So I've been in this office for four years. We've been able to do some amazing, amazing work with students through the Student Equity Ambassador program as well as with the MSAC student delegates, uh, working with teachers and things along those lines. And I look forward to continuing that work in whatever space I find myself. Which might be where exactly. So this will be my last episode in this capacity. I hope to be invited back, but I will be transitioning back into the school building as a teacher on a different kind of assignment. And congratulations.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

Yes, we're very happy for you and very sad that you're leaving, but that you're not going far is a wonderful thing.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Much appreciated. So now that we have grounded ourselves and you got to know us a little bit more, I know we have shared a great deal of insight throughout our conversations through these over these two seasons. Um, now we're going to dive into what we're here to discuss. So we're going to have to take the opportunity to reflect on our episodes over the past, over this past season. So representation matters, inclusive access for student success, the power of professional development, for them by them, student-centered engagement, silence is it neutral, what happens when we don't talk, loud and where the world learns, and the year of belonging. And we're going to have an opportunity to just speak about our favorite moments, hidden and uncovered gems, prospective ideas, and hopes for the future. So let's dive in.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

I was really, really happy to kick off this season with representation matters. We had on two guests that we've worked with in different capacities, Sarah Ocampo and Dr. Lindsay Orme, who uh work uh respectively works with Face and SEL, Social Emotional Learning. Um, so it was really great to get that perspective on family and community engagement, how parents need to see themselves represented, children need to see representations of different types of families, and that engagement needs to be intentional and not just you know happenstance because you are a part of this community, you're represented. Like, no, there needs to be a concerted effort. Um, and then Lindsay really spoke to the emotional impact of seeing yourself recognized. Um, and this is something we've also talked about in kind of different circles, is the way we use language to talk about acceptance. Sometimes we use things like tolerance, sometimes we use things like acceptance, sometimes we use things just like represented. But um, Lindsay really spoke to how important it is to be celebrated, to see your culture, not just, hey, you're there, you're a part of the lineup, but we are happy that you're there and you have added value to our community because of who you are, just bringing that into this space. Um, so that yeah, yeah, that was a great way to kick off the season.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

And I would say, um, specifically from listening to that particular episode, I that inspired some additional work later on down the line because we were able to partner with EL Face and Face, but specifically uh the partnership with EL Face where they were able to bring in um additional supports of how to be partners in this practice. So, really informing our equity leads, how can they partner with one, the family liaisons, but then also expand their extend their reach to better supporting our families and communities as a whole across Lava County. So we're really, really excited about that, learning about the different roles that parents serve within education, and then how we can strategically utilize that for the benefit of the student and then also for the progression of the school.

SPEAKER_04 14:38

And even from that episode, from that moment, from that experience, additional opportunities grew from that that created that belonging and that inclusion for other groups. Um now there is a podcast that also exists uh with Sarah Ocampo at the helm. I think about all of the SEL work that takes place uh with Dr. Orm. Um, these people that we bring in on these on these podcasts are really walking in that work, and it's so amazing when they get the opportunity to share how they got there and how they can further this message. I think about uh the opportunities I've had to even be in the middle school space, thanks to Lindsay Orm and the work that she has been doing to ensure that those students have that access to SEL uh programming and things along those lines.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

And throughout our equity walks this year, um, often at the elementary school level during the morning meeting times, we can see those snippets of the SEL lessons that they've distributed to the schools and see how teachers talk to their students about emotional regulation and uh being in community and problem solving and all of these really, really great things that are setting our students up for success. So, those both of those relationships have just been so um beautiful to see those continue to blossom.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

So the next episode was inclusive access for student success, and this was uh facilitated uh by myself, but then also um featuring Miss Tedra Richardson, our assistant superintendent for student services. Uh Miss Renee Dawson, our director of family and community engagement, and Miss Sharice Rosario, our director of the division of English learners. And so in this particular um episode, we were really one focusing on one thing, well, two things, one of two things. The first is um why was it why is it important for us to have accessibility for each and every student? And then secondly, really focusing on how does Loudoun County provide access and then communicate that access, but then also support that access for each and every student, um, and again, regardless of ability, with regardless of um language spoken. And so I was really, really appreciative, one, because I was able to sit truthfully itself, it felt like sitting at the feet of like giants, because these three women, one, know their community and they love their work. And I'm very intentional about those words of knowing your community and loving the work because that permeated throughout this particular episode some immediate takeaways that I would love to lift just for just for recollection and just to draw our our memories. One thing that was lifted was that every family has dreams and hopes for their students, regardless of ability, and that really grounded me in the idea that again, regardless of the language that I might speak in my my cultural background, regardless of my ability in the way that I might learn, and regardless of where I come from and where I'm located within this community, I'm a part of it. I matter, and your vision, your vision, your hopes, and aspirations matter as well, and they're respected. Another piece that really lifted for me was the notion of really being seen, heard, and affirmed. That every single student's voice matters, as well as every single family member's voice matters because they're the ones that know the student knows what they need or what it is that they're trying to acquire or or fulfill, or at least the world in which they want to exist in. And the parent or the the care provider has the deepest and strongest relationship with the student as far as where we are in this work, and so this is an opportunity to leverage what already exists while also propelling and moving us forward. And ultimately, above all things, where I take away, what I took away from the episode was that there's a lot to learn from different learners because every individual has a different experience, has a different walk of life, has a different way of seeing the world, and then also expressing and articulating it. And we, as educators, would do just by adapting and adopting new innovative ways of receiving and interpreting what our students have to say.

SPEAKER_04 19:05

The thing that you said that I always love whenever I share space with any one of them is the idea that all of our families have dreams for their child. And that sounds so simple. Like that does not sound like that needs to be novel, but I think that when we can see that for ourselves, we can see that for our children, but I think that when you realize each and every family, every walk of life has a dream for their child, you engage with that child in a different way. And I think that that is a message that I will carry with me, and I believe that it's really important that that was shared in the podcast. And I hope that people that are listening to this take the time to go back and listen to those episodes to pick up some of those gems.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

I think the episode was a really great example of really unpacking the word access because I think on the surface it's just is this thing readily available? Like, you know, does there a link I can click and I can get to the thing, right? But access goes so much deeper than that. It's about the environment that you create for people to come into the space because you can make things available all day long, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's accessible. And so hearing them talk about the experiences of these families from all different walks of life. Um, and Everett, as you brought up that, yes, I I love that we kept coming back to um throughout this year that every family has hopes and dreams and aspirations for their child. I think sometimes it can be really easy to um not necessarily understand the mindset of those families that are a little more introverted or a little more closed off, not as active, they're not going to all the PTA meetings to kind of write them off and say, oh, well, if they aren't doing XYZ, they must not care as much as this parent that is, you know, front and center every Monday or or coming to all the back to school night, right? But that doesn't mean that they don't care, that they that there is not a desire for them to see their children succeed, just and we have the same plan, you know, we have the same dreams. It is us versus the problem when it comes to being in partnership with these families to make sure that their students have everything they could possibly need to succeed.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

Absolutely. And and above all things, what I will say, not even above all, in connection and conjunction with what's been shared, ultimately I find with this particular episode, it it really also presented a little bit of opportunity for us to explore belonging uncertainty. How do families and students perceive Loudoun County Public Schools and what is our response to it? And specifically sitting with these three particular women in education and really understanding not only their walk, um their walk in the work, but also their their vision and their their their motivation or their drive for the work, it really really helped us. Center the fact that a few things. Um, well, no, really center the fact on the belonging uncertainty that again we have to be very, very intentional of one meeting families exactly where they are, speaking the language that they speak, because I think a lot of the times uh in in historical context, we are more so in a sp more so operated in a space of this is what it is, meet us where we are, versus we, the school, the institution, are going out into the community to have an understanding of how do we engage with you, how do we communicate with you, how do we best support you? And again, that uh inclusive access yields that sustainable cultural pedagogy.

SPEAKER_04 22:42

Um, y'all gave me a lot just then. Like if this is always like a great time for us to have these conversations. Um, but the next episode uh was the power of professional development, and we had the opportunity to connect with Ms. Tanisha Holland, the director of talent development, and Miss Lawrence Sproles, uh the supervisor of leadership development within HRTD. Um and it's just another reminder of the ways in which people in this building in the district in the division writ large want to have these conversations. Uh so the point in this episode or the major theme was really about talking about the role of talent development for school leaders and why it matters for the success of each and every student. Because again, we're bringing it back to how does this support students? And one of the biggest things that I took away from that session, that conversation, was how much work is happening within HRTD to support students. Um, a lot of times people think of really the HR part of it, but the talent development is heavy, and we even got the opportunity to have a conversation about how we are looking at the profile of a leader. Whereas we've had lots of conversation about a profile of an LCPS graduate, but we have the opportunity to see what a leader in this work looks like, and really, if we are to build that profile of a graduate, who are the people that are creating those graduates and who are the people that are leading them? And so as we were having that conversation and just really learning more about their walks, their experiences, it really gave way to uh them explaining what does DEIA look like in your world beyond theory? Um, and they each spoke to the experiences that they had had prior to being here. Um Miss Rolls had been a building principal. Um, they had each uh worked within education for many, many years, and they really understand the walk of a school leader, they understand the walk of the students within our division, and they really understood what DIA can look like in varying spaces. And it was just so heartening to have that conversation with people who were outside of the walls of our division and understanding that that is happening with people who will be leading the buildings. Because at the end of the day, all of the work that we do is to hopefully make it to and support that student who needs to have that experience in the classroom. And so seeing that from this HRTD lens, they are finding that it is of import. And they are ensuring that the leaders are finding it of import is amazing. Another thing that came out of that conversation was really a better understanding of even the cohorts that are happening with building leaders and the way the DIA is being put on top for them. So these aren't just conversations that are happening in silos. This is work that is growing throughout the division and it's even coming from both a top-down and bottom-up approach.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

Um I um want to kind of come back to that last point that you mentioned, that connection that we've had with helping in this talent development process. I have so enjoyed working with the aspiring principles cohort because it is really important that this next, not next generation, but next iteration, I guess, of leaders have that top of mind. And as we said earlier, it is a necessity, is something that is non-negotiable. This work is something that will make you a stronger leader. Um, and it also, I think the episode in general was a really good kind of peek behind the curtain for those who aren't in this administration space because I think it's um, as you said, it's kind of viewed as these are people that help support teachers, so then the teachers can support the students. But that episode was the perfect example of like they are thinking about everything all the way down to the student level. It isn't just I assume that this uh work and energy and effort that we're putting into the teachers is gonna trickle down to the students, you know, haphazardly, just you know, hopefully fingers crossed, like, no, they are being so intentional about the way that they support and pour into our teachers, um, you know, in such politically troubling times, in times where there are a lot of people leaving the profession because there just isn't the support that they need to be their best teacher selves. Um, so that um intentionality and pouring into leaders was was the highlight for me.

SPEAKER_01 27:24

And again, I'm full. Like, and I'm trying, I was trying to find an area to insert to come in. Um, but I'll I'll leverage uh the LCPS profile of a leader mainly because of two things that were stated that also connect to two concepts that kind of really wrap up my takeaway from this particular episode. When we think about the LCBS profile of a leader, um one thing that I appreciate that one, it really clearly identifies and communicates the clear values of leadership within Loudon County Public Schools. It provides the necessary framework and of course the overall leadership guidance of how do we do leadership here. With that, it really also shifts the notion that leaders, that leaders are more than building managers. It is really understanding that your role as a leader, an instructional leader, a an operational leader, a finance leader, whatever leader you are, that you're more than just that thing, which connects to what specifically Tanisha Holland stated that who you are doesn't limit what you can achieve. So your title, your positionality, wherever you fall within the hierarchy, does not define nor does it limit what you are capable of and where you can go. Um, which therefore brings in the concept of DEIA within HRTD and talent development. One thing that really resonated with me that I hold fast to was a statement that relationships give perspective. And in that notion, it really reminds us that this work, this DEIA work, equity work, however we have coined it, it is all about one gaining perspective and then doing something with it, which therefore makes not separate but absolutely integral. And then I'll close out with this last piece or this last thought that the equity and student outcomes that we're seeking can only be possible when equity and staff supports are in place, and HRTD talent development has been doing just that.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

Alright, so after that we had episode 10, which was For Them By Them, Student Centered Engagement. Um, this is an episode I was also super excited to get off of the ground because I was, I think, as I mentioned, just excited by kind of expanding the idea of foo boo. Like for us, by us, what does that actually mean? And especially when you're talking about students, there is this um misconception that there is a set age where students are now able to be a part of conversations to plan things that are meant to benefit them. And I think that the conversation that we had with our two guests completely debunked that. Um, so for that episode, we had we had Lynn Fiskis, extracurricular specialist with the Student Activities and Engagement Coordinator Program, and Alex Tate, a school counseling coordinator for campus, or the College Achievement and Multicultural Program for Unique Students. Um, and I think they both spoke to just again the wealth of experience that they had was really fascinating to kind of see their angle on student leadership, but having them both speak to the importance of taking your hands off the wheel and allowing students to shape their own experiences because as we've said many times in many different ways, the kids know the kind of world they want to live in, and as adults, especially as educators, it is our job just to facilitate that. So, what structures need to be built to allow students to have more agency and more say in the experiences that they're having, so that then you know, school isn't a place where they have to come, but it's a place that they want to come because they are, you know, owners in this process. They really feel this sense of connection that is so much more authentic than, hey, I think this is what you would like, so I built it for you, and now I hope you like it, you know.

SPEAKER_01 31:21

So I loved this episode because this definitely took me down my nostalgia timeline. Um extracurriculars, student leadership, student voice, student advocacy, that is my jam and has been my jam since middle school when I first got involved with SGA. So definitely being able to listen to Lynn and talking about her experience in developing student councils, student government association programs, working with the National Association of Student Councils, and just again us having that little synergy on the side. Um, but a few things that immediately just the shook the table for me was one simple thought, but just want to put it out there for our listeners that the youth will be in charge of everything one day. And therefore, I I lead with that following question of will we will we have them ready to do so? And that really from that it really kind of shifted my perspective of really focusing on what strategies and experiences are we intentional about exposing our students to for the futures that they see, not the futures that we want for them, but the futures that they see, that they're vying for, that they're creating. And I really loved this. I can't emphasize enough just how much I loved this episode because again, hearing from adults saying the things that we felt as students when we were in that seat, and then now we're in that seat and that that responsible positionality that we can do something about it, like it's just it's just amazing for me. And then my last takeaway, um, which was just really like the mic drop moment for me, was that every table that decides for students must have students present because again, as can be stated, how are you designing and and supporting when you even you haven't even surveyed them at minimum? You cannot serve, you cannot fix what you do not know, and we cannot operate off of inference or estimation or guessing moving forward. Like we have the source of knowledge right there. Ask the students, bring them to the table and let them be a part of the process.

SPEAKER_04 33:32

And so, as you said that, you can do it. You you can make decisions without them at the table, you can set all these things up, you shouldn't. And if you in reality want this to be something with which students can engage and do their best work and have their best experiences, you wouldn't. But we've seen for generations that it can be done that way. So, what was really heartening in hearing in that episode was that these are two dynamic leaders who are like, yeah, not on my watch. And what I love that I heard from both of them is the amount of diversity they want to see in student leadership. When you think about a student council, no matter how you show up in space, when you close your eyes, you see a student council student, you see a certain kind of student. The fact that that question that I posed started with the idea of student leadership being centered on student council is another example. But what I heard in their conversation was, oh, we have ambassadors from this program, ambassadors from that program. I created the wild thing, the wild symposium, and the way that that works is we bring in X number of students from every school from various dimensions of leadership throughout their school. We're not looking for the same student to engage in this space. And we want from 9th to 11th. We want students to know that when you get here, you are a leader, and I want you to nurture and grow that. One of the things that was most powerful to me in that space, and it might just be because I know Alex, and Alex and I have worked on a couple projects together, was hearing the way in which she is dead set on removing barriers. She's like, we don't need to create barriers to students' ability to participate. If a student wants to bring their skill, their leadership into a space, we will create a space for it to show up. It doesn't have to fit into a mold or anything along those lines. And I feel and I felt challenged as an educator, if you're not doing this, what are you doing? If your goal is not to remove barriers, you are a barrier. And if you are showing up for these students, and you aren't showing up for them in a way that is bringing their voice to the table, it's not removing a barrier for them, why are you there? And you're centering yourself. And one thing, as I was hearing you both speak, this is random and I point of personal privilege, is for some reason I started hearing Solange because y'all were discussing seats at tables and boo-boo.

SPEAKER_02 35:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 35:58

And so it's an amazing album. If you all haven't listened to it, after you listen to all our podcasts, go ahead and go revisit that. But this episode really shifted something for me. And I think that it as we engage with students, I assume as a listener, you're someone who really is passionate about student voice. Listen to the ways in which they engage student voice.

SPEAKER_00 36:20

I want to give a shout out to Lynn Fiskus for her work with the superintendent's advisory council this year. It has been a fantastic process working with these students from beginning to end. They started with coming up with different issues throughout the county, throughout their experience as high school students that they thought that the superintendent should be addressing. And then throughout the year, they met in these dedicated committees to talk about how we can get information about how to fix these problems. So they generated a bunch of questions and then boiled it down to just a few and sent out surveys, did the research, contacted adults in their school building to get answers to these questions that they had, and then developed solutions. And so having that final presentation where each student group got up and talked about here are the issues that we're seeing in our community, and here's here are some viable options of how we can fix these problems, you know, and almost none of them had anything to do with money. It was amazing the the innovation that these students were able to bring. And just think about the opportunities that we've created or that you know, Lynn has created for these students to really speak their piece and to have an active role in the way that this county will continue to grow and and be shaped. Um it was just a fantastic experience to work with them this year, and we wish her all the best as she heads off into her retirement. She is well, well deserved, earned it, earned it down.

SPEAKER_01 37:50

And as we segue into our next episode, I also think about just when we really focus on student voice and for them by them. I think about one of the statements that was made that educational experiences can't be one size fits all, and that really emphasizes people fluency. And thinking about the conditions and the way in which we engage and instruct and encourage our students, we also have to be modeling the same things that we want to see them doing. So, really thinking, just taking in that consideration and then also taking in the fact that, as Camille had lifted with the superintendent's advisory committee, that for our school leaders that are listening, every challenge that you have in your school, the solutions in your building. It's called the students. Activate their voices, listen to what they have to say because they see and hear everything. The question is, what are they doing with that? And hopefully it's for good. Uh, and so we move into our next episode, which is silence isn't neutral. What happens when we don't talk? And this featured uh specifically Dr. Elizabeth Whitehead, DEIA specialist, and Mr. Gary Ritchie, um our restorative practices specialists, and we really focused on a few things in this area. We talked about curriculum violence, the restorative practices, and then healing-centered engagement. And ultimately, in this particular segment, we were really focusing on the conditions in which we do school and how we engage and respond to those unwanted disruptions, I think is the best way to put it. And then beyond that, how do we bring the community back together? How do we heal, restore, and move forward? And ultimately, some of the immediate takeaways that I want to lift for us here is that one, restoration takes time and it is necessary to make the time. So most times we find that in a lot of the instances of um conduct exhibited by our students, it's usually some type of cause and effect situation. However, most times we only address the effect. And where we were uh where we've been really focusing specifically in silence at neutral is still having the conversations, not seeking compliance, but seeking compassion and empathy and our and really truly understanding. And so, with that, we we've been able to really develop some some other aspects. So, one thing that I also want to lift, and then I'll open it up, um, is one statement that was made that it's okay for us to disagree, however, we need to strengthen not disconnecting. And I think, especially given the political terrain that we're operating in right now, that a lot of individuals have disagreements. A lot of individuals are seeing the world in a variety of different ways. And guess what? All of that is okay because multiple truths can exist at one time. The focus now is where can we still find the necessary connections to still be in unity, to still be um in arm in arm with one another, healing, restoring, as well as progressing forward.

SPEAKER_00 40:56

That perfectly segues into the point from that episode that stuck out to me the most that I wrote down. Um, conflict is inevitable and takes time to heal. I think part of that silence comes from just being uncomfortable with not knowing what to say or what to do, so then we say and do nothing. And conflict is not something, it is something to be avoided when it is in the future. You can try to do things to prevent, you know, that discomfort, that disconnect, that that confrontation. But when it does come up, because it will, because life is messy and we have so many different opinions and experiences, when that conflict does arise, you have to address it. And you have to acknowledge, no matter how big or small the rupture was, a certain amount of time and effort and intention needs to be taken to heal it. And I think, especially when we're talking about students, it is even more important to recognize our role as adults in making space for them to break the silence, not feeling like they need to ask permission to address things that are weighing on them and heavy on their minds that you know would really help us to have better connections with one another. Um, so that knowing that conflict is inevitable is kind of uh it takes the pressure away from you to either ignore issues as they are approaching, ignore them as they happen, ignore them after they happen. Like we know that the thing is happening, we have to talk about the elephant in the room. Otherwise, it's just um, you know, the problems will continue to proliferate. But I think that was my biggest takeaway is that we we we can't avoid some things, but we can respond to them in a way that is intentional and not like a knee-jerk reaction.

SPEAKER_04 42:50

And when we when I think about that, it makes me really think about the way in which we have vilified the concept of any sort of conflict. Uh, because what we're really asking is that someone just be okay with it. Um, and I think that if we are talking about building leaders, we're talking about leadership in and of ourselves, that's an impossibility. There are going to be productive conflicts, there are going to be conflicts that are less productive. I think that what happens, you arrive at adulthood, having been told your whole life, about how ugly conflict is and to avoid it, and then you become so incredibly conflict diverse that other people who are not take advantage. I think that the true skill that comes from both of those amazing leaders is the idea that, to your point, conflict is inevitable to some degree. But how then do we address it? How do we deal with it? Unfortunately, it requires so much unlearning when you're an adult because of the way in which we've engaged children. So, what you pointed out earlier, I think is incredibly necessary. We make it, we give space and we make it okay for children to disagree with one another without disconnecting. I think that was so powerful and it says so much because so often we we're trying. So we're looking for team this. And if you're not on my team, then you no longer have personality. And I think that until we can get to a space where we're okay with, okay, we may not agree about this thing, but at a base, we agree about things that are really important.

SPEAKER_03 44:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 44:17

It makes me think about children, the way we engage them, and we talk about like a class of children, and you'd be like, my friends, your friend, X, Y, Z, and this, then, and the third. Friend is a heavy word.

SPEAKER_02 44:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 44:31

And so if you are putting that identity on a child, and then that friend does not treat them great, how then do they engage when a conflict arises?

SPEAKER_00 44:43

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 44:44

And so I think that that's a great episode to go back to and chew on and kind of see what do we do and how do we avoid that silence? Because one thing about silence and the not doing, that's easy. Like now in your chest, it may not feel easy while you're sitting there just holding on to it, but not doing something is a lot easier than doing something. But if you build those skills, then we can ease the doing something and get us to a more positive outcome.

SPEAKER_01 45:14

Absolutely. And and ultimately some things that I just I just resonate heavily with with this episode is again really focusing on the aspect of empathy and really centering on the human that's in front of you, not the human that you want to see.

SPEAKER_02 45:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 45:31

Um and and ultimately throughout this work with this particular episode, there was conversation about how a lot of the mistrust is actually in the process, not in the person. And so understanding that a few things that your experience and perspectives are not the only one in the world, and we have to understand that and appreciate any differences that we acquire and are exposed to. And lastly, harm comes from what is said and not said. Just remembering that. Oh wow, that's heavy.

SPEAKER_00 46:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 46:05

Because that should take some of the ease away from the not doing. Just like the title of the episode, silence is not neutral.

SPEAKER_00 46:18

Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 46:19

And you're so intentional.

SPEAKER_00 46:22

I I love, I want to like just kind of tie a bow on it with the last statement that you made about when you have that conflict in your chest, you can feel it in your throat, you don't want to have the difficult conversation. Empathy is so important. I think speaking to what we're feeling as we're dealing with conflict is another really big piece of it. It isn't just talking things out, it is giving life to the emotions that are living in that moment. Like, I am uncomfortable with this. This makes me upset, this makes me sad, this makes me confused. I want connection, I want understanding, I want peace, and really just voicing how we are experiencing these different points of connection, be they more positive or negative, um, just seeing each other as humans and giving life to um to the emotions as as we're experiencing them.

SPEAKER_04 47:17

I just wanted to let that breathe before I started talking my episode because it just feels like there was just a lot. Like, ah. So our next episode was episode 12, Louden, where the world learns. And this grew just really from the conversation about how incredibly diverse our student population, our teacher population, our uh school leadership population, all of those are. And we understand that so many different walks of life walk in and out of our doors every day. So we were like, what are the ways that we can engage some leadership in that space in a conversation? So for this conversation, we had Mr. Grant Schaefer, the supervisor of academic programs. Uh, we had Miss Danielle Graham, the SSGS supervisor, and Dr. Michael Grubbs, the director of CTE. Um, in that conversation, there were several gems dropped. Um, but one of the things that I hit that hit me immediately was divorcing ourselves from the idea of a melting pot and thinking more of a salad.

SPEAKER_02 48:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 48:22

Um, you don't have to lose who you are in a space to show up as your best self and to support that whole. Like you don't have to cleave onto something else to collaborate. Additionally, I really liked the idea of career trajectories no longer being a ladder. Um, that was freeing for me. Thinking about uh being what it felt like at the time, a mid-career career switcher. At the time, I was early 30s, it really felt like I was a lot more seasoned. Um, but thinking about how all of your experiences are going to connect you to where you ultimately end up and thinking about that on the scale of where our students are. Um in our district, our students feel a lot of pressure to really have it figured out. And if we look at a la look at a career as this ladder thing, and we're saying, well, if you haven't taken algebra one by kindergarten, there's not much of an opportunity for you to get to this end game that you've decided for yourself. Um, and so thinking about the ways in which they are incredibly intentional about all of that, thinking about how their roles participate with experiences along the LCPS continuum from elementary throughout. We got an opportunity to learn more about the new uh language academies. Uh, we talked about some of the special programs, we talked about the way in which CTE is going to be engaging with students in the future, um, and the way the DEIA kind of flows in and throughout all of that. Um how'd you guys feel about it?

SPEAKER_00 50:08

I loved it. That was an episode that I got to sit in on the recording. So, as you said, there were many, many gems that were dropped. I think um I learned the most from Dr. Grubbs because I had not really had conversations with him before. I didn't really know much about CTE, but just hearing about all the different opportunities that our students have, and um, you know, the more opportunities in the future that they will have to bring in their experience as they start to think about what I will want to do with my life. Um, I think we get so focused, as you said, on the being the most high-achieving, high-flying, all the awards. Um, you know, students feel pressure that I have to go to college, I have to go to an Ivy League, I have to have this kind of major, and then think about this kind of career. Um, but really giving them different opportunities to explore the different facets of themselves, I thought was really, really fascinating.

SPEAKER_01 51:02

I really enjoyed some of the mindset shifts that were presented in this episode. Um, specifically when we think about curriculum and how, again, Loudoun County has been very responsive to the collective or the community that they now serve, um, really being responsive over the course of time uh in Loudoun County's history. So I specifically want to lift up some of the things that Danielle shared within SSGS, really looking at the historical curriculum and really showing the shift from rote memorization to actually thinking and doing like a historian. Because again, having those those competencies and those skills really provide that necessary critical lens and that critical thinking that is necessary that enriches our our context, our connection, as well as our creativity. Um, I also think about again echoing what Everett lifted up about the connotation, well, not the connotation, the comparison of CTE being more of a career jungle gym versus that ladder. And it really allows our student, and what I loved about the rationale for that logic is that it's actually opening and providing more access earlier. Because again, when we focus on the ladder, it's again in in that locked step positionality that A leads to B, B leads to C, where in this jungle gym it's alright, go like like just like we're in recessing, we know the flow because we most of us have experienced that in public school, um, in an elementary school, that we get out there to the re once that door opens, baby, it's on live and popping. And why can't that exploration phase in figuring out? I don't even want to say you're forever, but finding what makes you excited, finding what impassions you, finding what really gets you moving and grooving. Why does that have to be rigid? Why can't that be joy-filled?

SPEAKER_02 53:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 53:00

Um, and then I and and that further allow aligned with the notion that this further helps define success for the person versus us telling them what success is. The last thing that I'll lift is just kind of their idea of how to build belonging in our learning processes. The first is really honoring the notion and the need for a mindset shift, really doing that reflective, that introspection, that internal reflection of what do I feel, what do I align with and why, what are my values and how are those actually enacted in my everyday work. Then the a simple task, but again, it does take time, know your students better. And I'll say it again for the people in the back. Know your students better. Because again, you cannot inform or engage or reach a student that you have no connection with. That is called compliance, not connection. And we really want to emphasize the fact that we want to make sure that every single student, regardless of whether they were with Loudoun County since birth or they transferred in, that they are a part of this community, their experiences, their culture, their background, their identity is welcome, honored, and appreciated. And we we appreciate it so much that we want to see and understand your future and your success plan, so we can cheer you, want to support you in that as well. And lastly, really emphasizing and emboldening peer education. Our students know so much. Why aren't we letting them tell and share and providing more and more opportunities? This again connects to the for them by them. Bringing our students to the table to make to make to have a hand in what's going to have a direct impact on them and ultimately combining all of those things together connects to the overall campus experience for every single one of our schools. So having that mindset, mindset shift, knowing your students better, and emphasizing peer uh education and that collaboration impacts for a more connected campus.

SPEAKER_00 55:01

So, Anthony, to your point about creating belonging and people who know their kids, our final episode that we had uh before this end-of-year review, the year of belonging, just was the definition of joy overflowing to hear from our six equity leads from all around the county about the work that they've been doing, the mission that they have taken on, given to us by Dr. Spence to engender our students with that sense of belonging. Um, it just made me so happy to see the work that they're doing and the impact that we've had in supporting them. I felt very proud to be a part of that story. Uh so for the year of belonging, we had Dr. Michael Matthew, Rashawn Moore Bum Gardner, Sarah Jones, Jen Heron, Stephen Redioff, and Meg Miles. And they all had such different experiences, um, you know, as educators in general, different experiences within their different roles in their schools. Some are classroom teachers, some are counselors, they have all different roles in addition to being equity leads. But across the board, um, I feel that they really spoke to the importance of knowing your community, getting really intentional and specific about the kind of support that you're offering, and not just doing what you think will work best or what you've heard other equity leads talk about or other, you know, people who do equity work, but they all really spoke to I listened to what my community needed and wanted. I worked with my colleagues to create this space to allow our students to have access to that thing that they wanted or needed, and then we made sure that we followed up so that there was sustainability there and that this would continue to be a source of support for our students. So I was just overjoyed too to have them here for that recording.

SPEAKER_04 56:50

What was so amazing to me about the recording was we generally work with specific planning districts. So having the opportunity to hear the work that was taking place in other planning districts was so heartening. And to hear the way in which they were engaging with their students within their school. And they would mention some of the work from student equity ambassadors, some of the work they were doing with us, but we learned about so much work that they were doing, which reminds you of how much is happening in these schools day to day. One of my favorite moments in that podcast was when one of the equity leads, um, I'm not gonna name check because I don't want to get that all messed up, uh, mentioned how she appreciated the support that comes from this office, speaking specifically to her kind of North Star in that work that she got from our former director, um Lottie Spurlock. She spoke to the idea of each and every. And she talked about how that really brought her into the work. And so a lot of times you'll hear on this podcast, you'll probably see in an email or hear in a conversation from us, the way that we engage with this work is to think about the impact it is going to have on each and every student. I don't know every student's name, I don't know each and every student's experience. But if I know that each and every student is a human and deserve support, they deserve to be heard, they deserve to be seen, that's going to impact the way in which we engage in this work. And for that to pop up organically toward the end of the podcast, after this very full conversation about all these things that are happening in each of the schools, for someone to call back to this concept from when they started their equity lead walk was really amazing, and it felt heartening to the work that we engage in each and every day. Uh, that and that they can see us as those thought partners because we understand that we're not in the schools. Our goal is not to show up in each and every space doing all the things, it's really to support them and give them the tools to do that work and to see that real live in a space was amazing.

SPEAKER_01 59:09

So, yes, yes, and yes, because I loved this up. I I loved all the episodes, like, but I not but just because I'm over here trying to organize my thoughts because I have a lot to say, but I want to be concise. So I want to start off with what was stated that even in the foundations for learning for everyone, belonging removes crisis mode. How and why that does that is because one belonging validates students' thoughts, feelings, and experiences. And one statement that was made specifically, and this is something that we can apply even outside of education, anytime a student is experiencing something, especially when we think about our elementary school students, we have to be reminded that this is the first time that they're experiencing kindergarten, first grade, second three, second through fifth grade for the first time. For many of them, it's their first time ever experiencing friendship, disappointment, frustration, stress. So they're going to respond in a way that is going to be like, okay, what's wrong with you? Meet them where they are. Expand, express and expand your empathy because, again, this because again, even in that logic and having that understanding of what belonging is and how it benefits everyone, also the notion and the logic of in this work, it's never too late to start. Today is the right day and the right time to start something new, to start something in the right direction, to really meet our students where they are, our students and families and community where they are to progress them forward. And then the last two points that I'll lift up is that representation is required because, again, if we're trying to prepare global citizens, we have to make sure that our global citizens are aware that the one group of people didn't make the entire world work. This was a global commitment, a global collaboration, and we have to start modeling that. And again, we model that by practicing the art of belonging. And lastly, and again, this I have to I will name drop here because this gentleman, like, he was just dropping gems all throughout. Dr. Michael Matthews, uh yeah, um, stated that no belong there should be no belonging without comfort, because again, you can never assume you'll be the last drop in the bucket, and every drop counts. So doing the right thing is just that. Doing the right thing. It doesn't matter who's looking, it doesn't matter if you're going to get the acknowledgement. If we're intentional about ensuring that each and every student, faculty, staff, and community member truly feels that they belong as a part of Lauvin County, then we just need to do that. And again, every drop counts. It doesn't matter where we think, oh, that they might rub overflow because their bucket looks full. We don't see the bucket. All we know is that we're consistently pouring in.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:00

Mic drop.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:05

Now that we've reviewed the season's glows and grows, how can we utilize what we've learned? Over the break, we challenge you to turn these words into action. What deeper connection does DEIA have to the role you play in the LCPS community? Take time to reflect and look internally. Try to find new ways to collaborate with those around you, discover your contribution to the community at large, and celebrate each and every facet of what makes us a beautiful, unique mosaic.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:33

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning into DEIA Better Together. Thank you for everyone who supported us from last season to this season. We so appreciate the streams and the sharing and the getting this message out to the community. And thank you again to my fellow hosts for sharing your expertise and offering your valuable time and insight into DEIA and our role in sustaining this vital, essential, necessary, non-negotiable work. I love being in community with you too, and everything that you bring to this podcast and have brought to this collaboration has been just so fulfilling for me. So thank you both. Special thanks to our superintendent, Dr. Aaron Spence, and assistant superintendent of DEIA, Dr. Letitia Ellis Williams, for facilitating the development and distribution of this podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow us on Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts to tune in to more courageous conversations in and around DEIA.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:35

Alright, so in our upcoming episode, hear reflections and powerful perspectives from students who participated in the third annual Student Equity Ambassador and MSAC Student Delegate Symposium, where young leaders came together to explore identity, belonging, advocacy, and the importance of carrying their message forward.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:59

Please join us in the fall as we prepare for another school year and explore new and engaging topics with knowledgeable guests. We can't wait to continue to facilitate conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and our collective responsibility to work to truly be better together. And remember, take what applies.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:19

Leave the rest.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:20

Use what you can to be your best.