Milly's Monday METCO Message

June 15, 2020

The movement to dismantle racism in the United States has gained historic momentum this week, and towns that are METCO partners are mobilizing in support. Giant rallies and marches are ongoing from Brookline (top) to Wellesley (middle). In Lynnfield (bottom) , school superintendent Jane Tremblay spoke to the diverse crowd of 600+, committing the district to "learning by listening" and having "uncomfortable conversations about racism, racial inequality, white privilege and injustice." Young alumni of Weston High School named Jacqueline Chen and Hannah Levine published a powerful op-ed in the local paper, reflecting on the early years of the Black Lives Matter movement when they were in school. "We made an active choice to ignore...police brutality against Black people, because as non-Black residents of Weston, racial violence felt distant, and protesting it felt inconvenient," they write. "We can’t go back and change our decision...[but] we can acknowledge that we were part of the problem in the past, and that we can be part of the solution in the future." To keep the energy going in this important protest, please send photos or post them on social media and tag @metcoinchq.

Foxborough was granted funds from our partners at BASI/Outside the Box Act Two this past spring to offer a program called “Get Out of Your Bubble” with performer/facilitator Ron Jones. This week, they were finally able to present it in the form of virtual professional development. This theatrical program is as timely as ever, giving 44 teachers an opportunity to develop relevant responses to current events in the Black Lives Matter movement. METCO Director Jesenia Castro shares, "Ron was amazing and provided a platform with virtual games and discussions on the history of race in America and how it connects to present day. Our Foxborough educators learned how to take action during this current climate of racial injustice." This kind of learning opportunity can be a powerful contributor to your district as you put together the plans for the 2020-21 school year.

The first week of METCO Headquarters' virtual workshops for adults was a big success. METCO's Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, D. Farai Williams (above), offered her unique, body-focused social-emotional workshops, "The Felt Sense" and "The New Norm," to two groups of teachers from Cohasset, Natick, and Scituate, providing experiential learning to help them manage their own stress —and that of their students. A six-week series of workshops for 10 parents called "The Power of Parenting" kicked off, facilitated by Pam Bailey of Families First Parenting Programs. And the first of two trainings related to higher education, "College Planning 101" led by Yanitza Medina, helped parents of juniors and seniors fill the gaps in knowledge that may have been left when schools closed early. Tomorrow, METCO University resumes with a session from our partners at Livius on how to help children catch up over the summer months.