The Council of School Superintendents recently invited ECSD staff to their Winter Institute to deliver a presentation regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning.
Presenters from Elmira City Schools: Kelley Bacalles, Deja Sanchez, Marnie Malone, Jarvis Marlow-McCowin, along with BetterLesson's Senior Manager for Solution Design Romain Betrand, Senior Customer Success Manager Andrew Dupont, and Director of Partnerships Meagan French
The group offered a talk about how New York State districts, leaders and educators are committed to designing and leading learning environments that are equitable and responsive and support engagement, achievement and joy for all students and educators.
The presentation was about intentional, district-aligned, and long-term professional learning for leaders and educators as critical steps toward achieving goals around equity and inclusion.
The Elmira team looked at ECSD's successes and learnings in the design and implementation of a long-term professional development strategy that empowers leaders and teachers to make big shifts in their practices to make them more equitable. The session was packed with professional learning strategies and resources for those in attendance to bring back to their own districts as they move equity from a buzzword to an actionable, measurable outcome.
Recently Released Case Study by BetterLesson featuring the district, Beecher: https://betterlesson.com/case-study/advancing-equity-elmira-city-school-district/
About the NYSCOSS Winter Institute
The Institute includes keynotes by national experts in the fields of leadership, education, advocacy and related areas; opportunities for members to share best practices with colleagues through smaller sessions; an interactive discussion with the Commissioner of Education about New York State issues and initiatives; and networking for support and collegiality among members through social interaction, group discussions, meetings and workshops. The event also hosts an exhibit hall where companies, associations, organizations and foundations can connect with school leaders from across New York State.