Dear Parents/Guardians,
As you may have read from Dr. Gagliardi, she intends to continue Lakeland’s equity work through the building level, where staff, faculty, administrators, students, and parents/guardians can be collaborative partners.
Members of the eight building-based teams will have the opportunity to also participate in a District team, the LCSD Equity for All Council. This team will represent all families and act as an advisory council to support and facilitate equity across Lakeland. The council will provide recommendations based on data and best practices from the building level.
Participation in a building-level team is a prerequisite for joining the District Council meetings. Parents/Guardians who are interested in joining the building-level teams will have the opportunity to do so at their home school. Building principals are to reach out to their communities. To that end, I am sending you information that the make-up of each building team is to be comprised of building level administrator, teacher rep(s), and a PTA representative. This group will be responsible for reviewing and selecting membership for the building-based Equity for All committee. The number of building based team members is to be between 15-25 persons, depending on the number of volunteers and the level.
Central office will create and send out paper invitations soliciting parents/guardians who may be interested in serving on their school’s building level Equity for All committee. Principals are to inform their community that the invitations will be sent out no later than Tuesday, February 15th with a return date of Friday, February 18th.
The equity work is to tie back to the Board’s goals and to our District's vision, mission, and core beliefs. The work will be age-appropriate and based on results from a future survey. Teams will develop short and long-term goals that support specific school community goals and our district goal of equity.
If you wish to participate in this work, it is asked you do so with an open mind, empathy, and humility. All invested participants will have a voice to support the best interests of all students.
Thank you for your continued partnership,
Elizabeth McGowan
Principal