Equity in education

Equity efforts in our schools

People of all races, ethnicities, religions, languages and cultures make up our Woodridge community. We benefit from this diversity as it guides our paths in working together daily to make our community a place to be proud of, a place to call home. We have high expectations for ourselves and for each other, and we hold each other to those expectations.

Since the Supreme Court delivered its unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, our nation, state and local communities have attempted to address the racial and cultural inequities in our schools, often with inconsistent results. Yet, we keep trying, knowing that one day we will reach the goals that we strive for…empathy, understanding and celebration of who we are as individuals and a people.

Woodridge School District 68 is no different, as we continually work diligently to make these goals a reality. Over the past ten years, we have developed curriculum and implemented programs in furtherance of these goals.

Title IX information

Elementary

Social emotional learning standards including self-awareness, social awareness and empathy (since 2012)
Grade-specific social studies units on topics such as identity, family structure, global citizenship, civic ideals, cultural diversity, government and citizenship, and slavery (since 2018)
6th grade social issues book clubs, covering topics related to racism, poverty and equity (since 2018)
Purchasing new mentor texts and re-writing reading/writing lessons based on textual material that is more representative of our students (ongoing)

Junior high

Quarterly speaker series for students on cultural sensitivity, caring for others, perseverance, etc. by presenters from diverse backgrounds (since 2010)
Participation in Rachel’s Challenge which specifically addresses issues of hate and racism (since 2012)
Topics such as racism, racial insensitivity, discrimination and prejudice embedded in four units within social studies and English language arts (since 2017)
Empathy lessons within Wolverine wellness course (since 2018)
Homebase classroom lessons addressing prejudice, stereotypes, bias, and power of our words (since 2018)

Additional efforts & moving forward

Significant 72 and relationship building activities with and between students at all grades (since 2012)
Seven Keys to a Positive Learning Environment (Seven Keys) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) used as a framework for building-wide expectations including the development of a matrix for expectations in all academic and non-academic settings, as well as a T-chart clearly defining classroom-managed vs. office-managed behaviors (since 2012)
Cooperative learning structures within classrooms to enhance shared learning opportunities (since 2014)
Building-specific goals such as CHAMPS classroom management and Win-Win Discipline (since 2017)
SWIS system and Panorama Student Success track student data and analyze based on student need, race, gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status (since 2018)
Building-specific work and goals based on equity, such as implicit/explicit bias, taking advantage of teaching opportunities within the school day, and “flipping the script” rephrasing our language and actions (since 2018)
3-Step Process at all buildings to create an equitable system for directing student behavior. The 3-step process includes 1. Redirection, 2. Reteach, 3. Restorative Practices (issue of consequence) (since 2019)

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