Office of Equity Newsletter

The Office of Equity is excited to present this newsletter for the months of November and December 2021. This edition highlights the importance of family engagement and the importance of amplifying student voices.

A core component of the LCPS Comprehensive Equity Plan is Family and Community Engagement. Focusing on engagement allows us to better know our families and understand the assets and experiences that families and students bring to our schools and our classrooms. Included below is the Family and Community Engagement Month Proclamation and highlights that show Family and Community Engagement in action throughout our division.

Recognizing that students have a voice is also important. We are excited about engaging in a second year with students in our Student Equity Ambassador Program. Read more about the students and the program below.

Please feel free to reach out to Lottie Spurlock, Director of Equity, at Lottie.Spurlock@lcps.org or Traci Townsend, Supervisor of Equity, at Traci.Townsend@lcps.org with any questions. Also, be sure to visit the Office of Equity's Webpage. You will find helpful information such as the Comprehensive Equity Plan, Action Plan to Combat Systemic Racism, division-wide equity statement, past editions of our newsletter, resources for the LCPS community, and other helpful information.

LCPS Equity Webpage

At its November 9, 2021 School Board Meeting, the month of November was declared Family and Community Engagement Month. The importance of family engagement in education is well-documented and supported by decades of research. Cultivating, nurturing, and sustaining meaningful relationships between families and staff members is not only important to maximizing student academic and social outcomes, but also strengthens the overall standard and quality of instruction delivered within our educational community. Loudoun County Public Schools is committed to strengthening and deepening family and community engagement practices and opportunities to positively impact student academic achievement so we may collectively empower students to make meaningful contributions to the world.

View the Entire Proclamation

One of the core components of the LCPS Comprehensive Equity Plan is Family and Community Engagement.

Professional learning was created by the Office of Culturally Responsive Instruction, with collaboration from the English Learners Family and Community Engagement (FACE) office, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Outreach Programs, and Department of Student Services. The professional learning was presented to schools by the Equity Leads during Family Engagement Month. The essential learning centered on the fact that family engagement impacts student learning and academic outcomes.

Family engagement, by definition and in practice, is equity hard work and “heartwork.”

The core beliefs around equitable family engagement include the following:

1. All families have dreams for their children and want the best for them.

2. All families have the capacity to support their children’s learning.

3. Families and school staff are equal partners.

4. The responsibility for cultivating and sustaining partnerships among school, home, and community rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.

The core beliefs are sourced from: Henderson, Anne, T. and Mapp, et al. (2007). Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships. New York, New York: The New Press

The Family and Community Engagement Office (FACE) has announced five pre-recorded (asynchronous) sessions, available starting November 23, 2021 in The Family Room Schoology Group. Families may access the Schoology Group by clicking the link below:

The Family Room Schoology Group

The sessions will continue to be available throughout the remainder of the school year.

The Five Sessions include the topics of:

• Connecting to your school through helpful resources
• An overview of Parent Resource Services
• Educational technology support for learning
• Partnering with families to support students using a multi-tiered system of supports
• The LCPS Partner program

The Student Equity Ambassador program provides the opportunity for student voices to be heard and also to amplify the voices of those students who have experienced or witnessed racism, injustice, marginalization, or discrimination.

Here are some of the asks from our Student Equity Ambassadors:

• They want their voices to be heard and valued.

• They want their perspective heard.

• They want adults to have an open mind.

• They want to work together as a group to have a positive impact on their schools and their communities.

A small panel of Student Equity Ambassadors shared their voices at the MSAAC November meeting which highlighted student resilience and advocacy.

On November 6, 2021, LCPS Student Bellen Woodard's dedication to affirming empathy was the subject of a NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition episode of Inspiring Kids. See the full interview below and see how one student is making a positive impact on the world around her.