BASD creates office of equity initiatives, names leadership | Lehigh Valley Regional News

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Bethlehem Space Faculty Board accredited the institution of a brand new workplace of fairness initiatives throughout its Monday evening assembly.

Superintendent Joseph Roy stated the creation of the office and the appointment of its leadership team construct upon the fairness coverage that the district accredited final fall.

“Establishing these new positions and the workplaces is de facto essential to implementing our fairness coverage, together with creating a brand new fairness plan, targets, and conducting an fairness audit,” Roy stated. “We now have heaps and many varied initiatives and work underway aimed toward fairness, and defining fairness as giving every baby what they want once they want it and likewise equitable entry to alternatives.”

The Bethlehem Space Faculty District diversity, equity and inclusion policy was accredited in September as the results of an 18-month lengthy course of that integrated suggestions from the Pennsylvania Faculty Boards Affiliation.

On the time of the coverage’s approval, board President Michael Faccinetto defined that the coverage requires an audit to benchmark instructional fairness in district achievement and alternatives, in addition to for the administration to develop and replace the district’s instructional fairness motion plan with clear targets and metrics to handle inequities.

“So we now have phenomenal alternatives for college students on this district, however not each baby can entry these alternatives, whether or not its tutorial, athletic, extracurricular — there are sometimes obstacles that may get in the best way,” Roy stated Monday evening. “So it was time to drag these initiatives right into a extra aligned and focused style underneath one workplace.”

To steer the workplace, Benita Draper was appointed director of fairness initiatives. Roy stated Draper has labored within the district for 15 years and beforehand served as principal of Lincoln Elementary Faculty, in addition to a supervisor of early studying, grants and improvement.

Eric Fontanez was named supervisor of fairness initiatives. Fontanez began his profession as a instructor and progressed to at the moment function principal of Marvine Elementary Faculty.

Tracey Hirner, who at the moment serves as supervisor of social/emotional studying, was appointed director of scholar companies.

Maureen Leeson was named supervisor of science, expertise, engineering and math. Leeson is at the moment administrator for secondary schooling.

Whereas the workplace will lead fairness and inclusion efforts for your entire district, “Everyone owns a chunk of fairness work,” Roy stated. “This does not take something off of anyone.”

“All of us need to be dedicated to racial justice and fairness throughout all teams of individuals,” he added, “however we actually want a prime management on the district degree to coordinate, to align and to push us forward to make us a greater district in that space.”

Draper will start her new position instantly, whereas Fontanez, Hirner and Leeson will start their new positions July 1.

“It is thrilling. It is historic, actually, to ascertain these positions and this workplace,” Roy stated, “and I feel it actually helps to push us forward and helps us proceed to be a number one district in working in the direction of social justice.”