Charlottesville City Schools

Equity Commitments 2019-20

This page provides information about Charlottesville City Schools’ equity goals and commitments in the 2019-20 school year.

Equity within Charlottesville City School

Goal 1: Supported/Supportive Staff Goal 2: diverse, inclusive, and rigorous learning experiences

Goal 1: Supported/Supportive Staff

This includes diversifying our staff and equipping our educators to succeed and help all students succeed.

Examples include:
- Thirty percent of this year’s instructional hires were people of color, and we are actively building out ways to support these new teachers—and all our teachers.
- We have revised our mentorship program for teachers who are new to our division, and we have also updated our model for instructional coaching so that our teachers get the supports they need as they in turn support our students.
- All administrators and instructional staff have completed implicit bias training, but this work is not one-and-done. Through additional professional learning, book studies, staff meetings, personal reflection and more, we are developing a culture of growth, mutual respect, and cultural competence.
Goal 2: Diverse, Inclusive, and Rigorous Learning Experiences

Let’s embrace our diversity—in classrooms’ student composition and in richly varied and challenging learning activities.
- This year, we redesigned our gifted program to bring the creativity and challenge of gifted education not just to a select few, but to all our elementary students.
- Walker, Buford, and CHS are expanding the honors-option program developed at CHS. These courses allow different students in the same classroom to elect standard-level or honors-level credit for the course, depending on the student’s choice in the complexity and rigor of the readings and assignments. This promotes greater equity and diversity within a given classroom, which benefits all students.
- Our social science teachers are working with Jefferson School African American Heritage
  Center, Virginia Humanities, and other partners to include more diverse and local perspectives and stories in our history classes.

Goal 3: growing relationships/community Goal 4: equity foundations

Goal 3: Growing Relationships/Community

As we help our staff and students feel connected, supported, and safe, we will learn from one another for our mutual gain.
- Mental wellness and social-emotional learning remain priorities for our school division. CHS was a national leader in implementing the Teen Mental Health First Aid program, and our commitment to social-emotional learning has also earned acclaim. In preK through grade 1, we now teach social-emotional skills alongside reading and math.
- Restorative justice is an increased focus in our schools. In the last decade, we’ve reduced suspensions by 80 percent.
- Improved school culture is good for everyone—and it’s fun, too. The energy and excitement are contagious at our elementary schools’ schoolwide monthly meetings.
Goal 4: Equity Foundations

We want to be systematic and proactive as we make positive change. Let’s follow—and establish—best practices.
- This December, our School Board approved an equity and an anti-racism policy for our school division. These policies will guide our current and future work and decision-making.
- We have re-convened our division’s equity committee and established school-based equity councils to help explore our next steps.
- We are part of the 2019–20 cohort for the Racial Equity Leadership Network, and we are having ongoing conversations with other groups and potential partners.

What about data?

Want More Details? Read On.

1. Supported/Supportive Staff

This includes diversifying our staff and equipping our educators to succeed and help all students succeed.

Commitment: Vigorous recruitment plan to attract a staff that reflects and embraces our students’ diversity.

Update: In the summer of 2019, a very strong applicant pool resulted in 30 percent of our instructional and administrative hires being people of color. Read “School divisions changing tactics to boost teacher diversity,” Daily Progress, 14 Sept. 2019.

Commitment: Revised mentoring program for first- and second-year teachers

Update: A network of experienced teachers is offering periodic check-ups on the well-being of teachers who are new to our division. They are providing support and steering them to practical resources like our instructional coaches or wellness programs.

Commitment: Revised instructional coaching model for all teachers

Update: Four years into our instructional coaching model, we continue to work with national experts to refine our system. While our coaches were previously available as requested, our new model reaches all teachers to assure that they — like our students — are growing, learning, and supported.

Commitment: Establishing supports for teachers of color to create a sense of belonging

Update: Community is important, and making connections within our schools and across the community can offer practical and personal supports. We are building connections with groups such as the Black Professional Network and African-American Teaching Fellows.

Commitment: Greater awareness of ways to include and support staff of color

Update: As we grow in awareness of ways to see and support our students of color, let’s also fully support and recognize the expertise of teachers and staff members of color.

Commitment: Professional Learning on differentiation, particularly for honors-option (unleveled) classes

Update: To support our expansion of honors-option classes at Walker, Buford, and CHS, our teachers have engaged in summer and school-year training with Carol Ann Tomlinson, a national expert on differentiation. Read “Walker, Buford prepare for unleveled classes,” Daily Progress, 21 July 2019.

Similarly, to support our redesign of the gifted program, our gifted resource specialists have been working closely with Katherine Brighton of UVa’s Curry School of Education.

Commitment: Professional Learning on cultural competence and responsiveness

Update:

Implicit bias training was held in the summer of 2019 at all schools and on the division level; sessions were facilitated by Dr. Joseph Williams of UVa’s Curry School of Education and Denise Johnson.
Institutional bias training was offered to division leadership in August 2019 by Dr. Joseph Williams and Denise Johnson.
Ongoing professional learning on bias and related issues is continuing based on school needs, facilitated by Denise Johnson and experts from UVa and other organizations.
Local history is presented to new staff by Charlene Green, manager of the City’s Office of Human Rights. As in previous years, this presentation is also available upon request at schools. See “CHS professional development focuses on city’s racial, ethnic history,” Charlottesville Tomorrow, 17 Aug. 2018.

Commitment: Professional learning on school culture (systems of supports, responsive classroom, social-emotional learning, trauma-responsiveness, etc.)

Update:

New staff members are trained in our systems of support framework for behavior, attendance, academics, and mental wellness.
A two-day workshop on responsive classroom and social-emotional learning was held for elementary school representatives.
A two-day workshop on restorative practices was held at Eastern Mennonite University for school representatives; a weekly study group for restorative practices is being led at CHS by mediator Bob Garrity, resulting in a handbook of resources distributed to all schools.
Planning for Community Resilience Initiative is underway to continue to build out our supports for students who have faced trauma and adverse experiences.
A workshop on students and anxiety was held for 130 representatives from City Schools and others, supported by staff from U.Va.’s Counselor Education program and Patrick Farrell.

Commitment: Preschool observations of teacher-student interactions

Update: Local and CASTL (UVa) preschool teacher observations of teacher-student interactions with feedback/discussion.

2. Diverse, Inclusive, and Rigorous Learning Experiences

Let’s embrace our diversity — in classrooms’ student composition and in richly varied and challenging learning activities.

Commitment: Expanded honors-option (unleveled) classes at CHS, Buford, Walker

Update: At CHS, additional classes use the honors-option model and there is a greater emphasis on using honors-level work as the starting point for all students; at Walker, all classes are now unleveled; at Buford, science and social studies courses are unleveled in 2019-20 with plans for additional expansion in 2020-2021. Read “Walker, Buford prepare for unleveled classes.” Daily Progress, 21 July 2019.

Commitment: Redesign of gifted program

Update: The pull-out model of gifted instruction that served a small group of students has been replaced with a push-in model for gifted instruction at all elementaries, bringing the creativity and challenge of gifted instruction to all students.

Commitment: Continued redesign of history/social science curricula to better incorporate diverse (and local) voices and experiences

Update: As part of a “Changing the Narrative” grant, teachers are working with partners at Virginia Humanities, Jefferson School, and more.

See “Charlottesville School Board adopts equity policy” (also features information about Changing the Narrative), Daily Progress, 7 Nov. 2019.
See “History lesson: Local educators help expand Virginia’s African American history curriculum,” C-VILLE Weekly, 6 Nov. 2019.
See “Local History Curriculum School Board presentation,” You Tube video, 7 Nov. 2019.
See “Albemarle, Charlottesville kick off history curriculum update,” Daily Progress, 27 Sept. 2019.
See “Telling All the Stories: The People and Places Working to Restore Charlottesville’s African American History.” Cville Weekly, 6 Feb. 2019.
See information about the Changing the Narrative project posted by Virginia Humanities.

Commitment: Continued implementation of new elementary math curriculum

Update: In year two of implementing the Investigations (K-4) and EnVision (5-12) standards-aligned math curriculum, we are building on the successes from year one by ensuring that all students have access to high-quality curriculum, instruction, and the supports they need to be successful.

Commitment: Pilot of new elementary reading resources

Update: Based on the success of our launch of the Calkins “Units of Study” Writing Program in 2018, we are piloting the use of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Into Reading program (supplemented by other resources). After a pilot at Clark, Jackson-Via, and in fifth grade at Walker, in January 2020, Houghton Mifflin materials for all-elementary use were purchased. Additional resources for teaching phonemic awareness have been incorporated.

Commitment: Pilot of new preschool curriculum

Update: Creative Curriculum implemented for prekindergarten classes; additional resources for teaching phonemic awareness have been incorporated.

Commitment: New Career and Technical Education pathways

Update: New sequential pathways in Career and Technical Education (in addition to opportunities at CATEC) feature workplace readiness certificates; teach entrepreneurship (from coding/engineering to urban farming); make local connections through field trips, guest speakers, pitch-making, and more; and encourage capstone projects. See School Board update, December 2019.

Commitment: Better alignment of state learning standards with curriculum/resources

Update: Online resources are being developed to better align learning standards, curriculum pacing, lesson plans, teaching resources, and assessment tools. (Also see Illuminate roll-out, below.)

Commitment: Reevaluation of grade point average calculation

Update: Beginning in 2020, GPA will be calculated only on classes taken at CHS (although high-school credit courses taken early at Buford or other schools will still appear for credit on transcript.) Read “CHS Looks to Stop Including Courses Taken Early in GPA” (Daily Progress, 12/6/2019).

Commitment: Continued emphasis on physical wellness

Updates:

Continued work with City Schoolyard Garden (CSG) & Wildrock
Y Street and Youth Alcohol and Drug Prevention Project – CHS students trained to lead healthy lifestyle and nutrition educational programs and stations around topics such as drug and tobacco abuse, alcohol awareness, and hydration
Vaping town hall, a prevention curriculum (CATCH), and intervention resources (MD Anderson’s ASPIRE modules)
Nutrition grant partnership with CSG will increase fresh, “scratch,” and local food. Funding includes a Farm to School Coordinator, fresh foods, serving equipment, and some kitchen equipment.
Johnson PE pilot — Compassionate Schools/ holistic mindfulness
PreK nutrition education (PE grant from VA Foundation for Healthy Youth)
Updated wellness policy: minimum times for PE, higher standards for cafeteria food offerings, limits for serving and promoting non-nutritional foods
Family Engagement cooking demos (partnering with Aetna)

3. Growing Relationships/Community

As we help our staff and students feel connected, supported, and safe, we will learn from one another for our mutual gain.

Commitment: Positive school culture

Update:

At CHS:
- “Green Dot” Bystander Training Launched at CHS on September 24.
- “Teen Mental Health First Aid”: piloted (one of 8 schools across U.S.) in 2018-2019; expanded in 2019-20.
- Link Crew mentorship for 9th-graders at CHS further established.
- For overview of recent teen mental wellness and positive school culture programs in place at CHS, see recent coverage of Virginia Secretary of Education Qarni’s visit to CHS.
At Walker: “Collaborative & Proactive Solutions” model being implemented.
At Walker: Students now choose two elective (not one plus Spanish). This is designed to help students explore their interests and increase a sense of belonging. See “Changes to elective courses draw huge student interest at Walker,” Daily Progress, 23 Sept. 2019.
At Buford: Positive student recognition program, additional clubs to build leadership capacity
At elementaries: school-wide morning meetings at all schools; continued/expanded partnerships with Wildrock and City Schoolyard Garden. See NBC29 Coverage about school-wide morning meetings (30 Sept. 2019).
At all schools: reframing attendance practices to be more proactive and preventative. Student Support Liaisons will focus on relationship-building and student/family engagement.

Commitment: Proactive, equitable behavior supports

Update:

Continued establishment and refinement of positive systems of support for behavior, attendance, mental wellness, and academics.
Walker and Buford are intentionally teaching social-emotional skills to students needing additional behavioral support (tier 2-3). Materials include Second Step and Ever Fi.
Johnson and Greenbrier are piloting the use of Centervention social-emotional learning for students needing further tier 2-3 support for behavior.
Greater implementation of restorative practices at CHS, Buford, and Walker (see more in “Supported/Supportive Staff, above).
New grant-funded positions via the City of Charlottesville to proactively promote positive behavior at Walker and Buford.
Continued attention on suspensions, which have fallen 80 percent in the last decade at CHS, but which are still disproportionate.

Commitment: Expanded social-emotional learning (SEL) practices

Update:

Elementary update: Classroom-based social-emotional instruction continues to expand. Last year, this was begun in pre-K and kindergarten classrooms, and in 2019-20, first-grade classrooms are implementing this curriculum. (In some Charlottesville schools, classroom-based SEL instruction is now pre-K through grade 4.) Elementaries are using the DESSA tool to measure SEL growth. This is in addition to the SEAL (social, emotional, and academic learning) classrooms at Greenbrier and Clark that continue to innovate and establish good classroom-based social-emotional practices.
Walker/Buford are implementing SEL instruction for students needing further support for behavior (tier 2-3 instruction). Materials include Second Step and Ever Fi.
CHS continues to strengthen restorative practices as the culmination of our SEL programs.

Commitment: Intentional community-building

Update:

Professional learning session on “Growing Relationships” for instructional assistants scheduled for November 1.
Classroom and school-wide morning meetings have been expanded at elementaries.
See also “Positive School Culture,” above.

Commitment:Building out support networks with partnering organizations

Update: A Community Care Coalition is in development to meet the needs of individuals or groups as specific needs arise, during school closures such as holidays, or during extended emergency school closures.

Commitment: Creating a city-wide mentorship program

Update: A “Bring Back the Village” mentoring network is in development to connect students with mentors, tutors, classroom volunteers, and more.

Commitment:Revising communications practices to be more student- and family-friendly

Update: Ongoing. A web site refresh is being developed; other examples include the continued refinement of processes such as online forms.

Commitment:Expanding family engagement team.

Update: A second team member has been added to assist with community engagement and relationship-building. See “City School Division Seeks to Build Trust through Family Engagement” (Daily Progress, Jan 11, 2020).

Commitment: Provide family/parent learning opportunities

Updates:

Information about ways to support learning has been presented through community-based workshops and a division-wide Parent University
Resources about implicit bias and how to talk to children about race have been presented through workshops. See “UVa Professor Holds Family Implicit Bias Workshop” (CBS 19, 1/11/2020).

4. Equity Foundations

We want to be systematic and proactive as we make positive change. Let’s follow — and establish — best practices.

Commitment: Clarifying the work and reconvening the division’s Equity Committee

Update: Meets held in December 2019 and January 2020. See School Board update from January 6, 2020 meeting.

Commitment: Establishing school-based Equity Councils

Update: School committees have been formed, guidelines given, and meeting times established. Council members have received institutional bias and facilitation training. A rep from each school Council serves on the division Equity Committee (with one working team composed of school reps).

Commitment: Aligning ourselves with one or more regional or national equity initiatives

Update: We are part of the 2019-20 cohort for the Racial Equity Leadership Network, and we are having ongoing conversations with other groups.

Commitment: Establishing an equity and anti-racism policy

Update: These policies were drafted and discussed in the fall and approved on November 7.

Commitment: Establishing key goals, definitions, metrics

Update: Ongoing conversations as we work with the Racial Equity Leadership Network and others.

Commitment: Better use of data to drive decisions and meet students’ needs

Update:Illuminate data program adoption in September 2019 will provide better assessment tools and data analysis to shape instruction, interventions, and more. Implementation and training are underway in fall 2019. Continued build-out of Illuminate resources will be ongoing.

Commitment: Provide wifi hotspots available for check-out from school media centers

Update:100 portable wifi hotpots are available for check-out for students to assure that they have internet connectivity when completing schoolwork at home.

Commitment: Planned redesign of middle school and preschool facilities to better serve students

Update: Request for proposal for professional services issued in December 2019. Find history/updates here.

Commitment: Continued modernization of facilities.

Update: Each year, one elementary school will undergo a $1-1.25 million renovation. Two have been completed so far (Clark, 2018, Jackson-Via, 2019); Burnley-Moran is scheduled for 2020. Find history/updates here. At CHS, the Curtis Elder Track and Field Facility completed its renovation in 2019.

Commitment: Expanded systems and solutions to promote physical safety

Updates: