Dear District 23 Families, Staff, and Community,
Valuing the diversity of our students, families, staff, and community has long been a core value of District 23. To truly live out this value means to take a stand and unite together when we see injustice in our world that threatens the values of who we are and what we believe. The recent events in our country have continued to illuminate how very important this work is.
D23 believes there is no place in our world for hate or judgement of others based on race, color, or national origin. We do not condone racism in any form. We embrace the strength of our diversity. Our district board policies and district strategic plan reflect these values, and they are the foundation upon which we build the education for our students in order to positively impact the world and our future.
In our schools, we provide educational opportunities and hold conversations with our students about the appreciation of diversity and understanding concepts of racial injustice through Social Emotional Learning, classroom talking circles, middle school advisory, and restorative practices.
For parents and families, it can be difficult to know where to start when having conversations with your child about topics of racial injustice. Sitting down and having these conversations with honesty and in an age-appropriate manner is an important step in helping us make progress with advancing respect, acceptance, and inclusion for all.
In an effort to help support having these conversations with children, we are providing the following resources for reference and guidance:
In all that we do, D23 is committed to standing for the equality of all, embracing our diversity, and partnering with our students, families, staff, and community in this goal. We are here to support each other in this effort, and we hope that together we can all continue to work toward making lasting change in our schools, community, and country.
As we return to school in the fall, whether virtually or in person, the conversation regarding how we can support our students will become even more essential.
Sincerely,
Dr. Don Angelaccio, Superintendent
