Administrators, staff, teachers, family members, students and community members came together for a day of collaboration Feb. 6 at the Sunnyvale School District’s eighth annual Stakeholder’s Lyceum held, for the first time, at Google’s Tech Corners offices in Sunnyvale.
The event is an opportunity for participants to learn more about the District’s practices, values, partnerships, and programs. The day serves also as a chance to share their input on how the District is doing overall and how it can continue to improve.
A particular focus for the 120 participants this year was around equity. One of the district’s newest initiatives is how the application of equitable education opportunities and practices can enable SSD to continue to improve meeting the needs of all students.
“Regardless of race, economic class or culture, all kids must have their needs met. That is our job!” Superintendent Benjamin Picard shared with the group at the event. “Our work impacts our students, but more than that –it also impacts all the people our students will interact with during their lifetimes.”
The group reflected on their roles as educators in maintaining or interrupting educational equity gaps as lead by Nicole Anderson, Educational Equity Consultant. They reviewed the historical context of public education and the root causes of the achievement gap.
The group then worked together to define equity for Sunnyvale School District. Participants broke out into affinity groups of students, teachers, principals, parents, staff, and community members and brainstormed what schools without barriers would look like, drawing what they came up with on whiteboards. The groups then reviewed the District’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), with an equity lens.
The LCAP is the school district’s plan that describes how districts meet annual goals for all students, with a specific focus on English Learners, Foster Youth, and students from low socio-economic backgrounds based on state and local priorities. To learn more about the District’s LCAP please visit http://sesd.schoolwires.net/Page/1231.
The feedback the participants provided will be reviewed by the district administration and incorporated into current and future goals and action plans. The Board of Education will also be provided with a summary of the stakeholder input. Thank you to all of those who participated and for guiding our practice and priorities using the lens of equity!
