09/17/2024 MASHPEE INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY COMMITTEE Minutes

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IMP. IMBO d"fr,,{ynr,fw VhP. w Mashpee lncCusion and'Diversity Committee 16 Great Weck RoadWorth 'Alashyee, AMA 02649 MEMBER UPDATES DEI Programs in place at Mashpee Schools Hope Hanscom, Assistant Superintendent, handed out the school's plan for success around diversity, equity, and inclusion. They are currently engaged in a four-year strategic plan that was approved by the School Committee in June 2021 and will end June 2025. It was drafted with many stakeholders, town representatives, and students. The School Committee voted to add a part time data analysis position that focuses on diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Specifically, all data will be analyzed in areas of attendance, discipline, MCAS, amongst others, with a DEI lens. There is a Student Advisory Council that meets regularly and is comprised of two representatives from each grade 7-12. The School Committee has one student from the Advisory Committee attend and weigh in on topics. There has been an increase in multilingual learners. As of 2017 there were 42 students across the district, and as of June 2023 that number spiked to 78, then rose again to 123 in September. English is not the primary language in these homes. With the help of our new platform, School Status Connect, families enroll in the app and choose whatever language they prefer, and everything is translated at home. We also have a tool that allows real time translation for 87 different languages. We have the highest population of indigenous students, more than 10% are native. This marks our 8t" year of Tribal partnership within the schools. Lastly, we have retained DEI expert Dr. Kalise Wornum as a consultant for the past three years. Chair Stevenson attended Dr. Wornum's presentation and had concerns about the lack of parental presence. Most of the attendees did not have children in the school system. How do we engage parents? Ms. Hanscom continued that previously there was a partnership with ADL that started in 2021, that has since blossomed into a Peer Leader Program. Mashpee was the recipient of a competitive grant that provided funds to roll out the program. Ayesha Shafi is the current Chair and facilitator of the Peer Leaders. As of this year, Mashpee schools are no longer partnered with ADL, but Mashpee is continuing to utilize their program materials. Now there are 20 leaders who go into classrooms and talk about belonging, a school that is welcome for all, and the `isms' that affect us. This program empowers students to find their voice. Peer-to-peer instruction makes an enormous impact. 2