DePaul College Prep’s Post

In a recent edition of Exchange Every Day dedicated to embracing families, communities, and culture, Monica Wells, our family and community program administrator, shared her deep connection to families and communities and how it positively impacts children's success. "Strong, authentic relationships between our families, students, and educators are key. We must speak life into our students, cheer them on, teach them the skills, and provide the tools they need to be prepared for the future. We must show examples of the power, importance, and necessity of community." Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gc7ur8uu

The Venn diagram of town relationships One beautiful day in 2008: Alex, Anhad, Ben, Rod, and Kyuho walked into Fiske Kindergarten. Soon followed by Alex, Varun, friends and many of their younger siblings.  So why am I telling this story? The children are now in college, the boys readying to graduate. Because the story is about the parents. Over the 13 years of a Lexington Public School education they have become friends, cared for each others’ children, led school fundraisers or teacher breakfasts, cheered on each other, run half marathons, and had many meals together. So what does a public school system do? In Lexington it does a lot more than just graduate its students. It provides the framework for relationships that grow into roots which anchor a community. We are repositories of town history as experienced by ordinary residents. Our relationships are the launching pad for the children. Remember The Great Redistricting Debate of 2018? Some of our elementary students were transferred from their original school to another. At that time our elementary schools were overcrowded. A new Hastings School had been built. It was a very public and painful process. Parents, grandparents and caregivers spoke about how redistricting would be unfortunate. Stronger language was used too. I fully empathized with the parent community as these bonds of friendship were tight, not only amongst the children, but even more importantly amongst the adults. (I heard the same yearning from every corner of Lexington, so was reassured. Our schools were doing something right!) Luckily the moves were completed in time for the greater space needs in 2020. If Lexington could be a Venn diagram, parents of Alex, Alex, Anhad, Ben, Kyuho, Rod, Varun and friends form one small circle amongst many similar overlapping circles. Lets try to include our Boston families too, until the Venn diagram includes all ages, abilities, genders, races and religions. Enjoy the time with family and friends in peace and contentment. Happy holidays! Best Deepika Sawhney (Vice Chair of School Committee till March 2025, Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member) Resources 'We all Belong' by sung by Lexington High School Rock Paper Scissors  https://lnkd.in/esuEGPFU

"Educated kids make educated decisions." That’s why we partner with schools and our community of caring neighbors like you to help kids to succeed in school and in life.    Watch as Rene Gellerman, our President & CEO, shares with Johnny Marx the thinking behind our United for Schools initiative – to unite community resources and volunteers to help kids early on, to help them unlock brighter futures for themselves.   And, the results speak for themselves. Dive deeper here: https://lnkd.in/gXpwEqV3

I spy with my little eye something familiar in this picture- front and center! I love seeing my book, Support and Retain Educators of Color, used in the context of pushing forward institutional change. I wrote this book not as a cute intellectual exercise but a how-to guide for education and organizational leaders to cultivate workplaces that affirm and retain educators of color. This Friday, I will be presenting insights from my book surrounding affinity group implementation at Center for Black Educator Development Black Men in Education Convening. See you there? #education #equity #BlackMenInEducationConvening #BMEC2024 #Blackteachersmatter

Over the past decade, the Georgetown Public Policy Challenge has received a wide range of innovative solutions to local policy issues — from bridging the digital divide for at-risk students to assisting young parents and their children experiencing homelessness. “The students go out into the community, taking the human-centered design approach to establishing these proposals and seeing how they can help the folks they’re working with,” said McCourt School Director of Student Engagement Jaclyn Clevenger, who has supported hundreds of students and awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships as founder of the Challenge. Learn more about the annual graduate student competition here: https://lnkd.in/dqXpX4CC

More work to be done

This month’s news roundup highlights the incredible strides being made in the charter school community: 📚 Breaking Barriers in Colorado: A charter school is making a huge difference by helping teen parents balance their education while raising their children. This program not only supports academic success but also fosters brighter futures for young families. Read more here: https://shorturl.at/lYTy1 🎉 Florida’s Record-Breaking Summit: The 2024 Florida Charter School and School Choice Summit drew its largest audience ever! Leaders and advocates gathered to share innovative practices and celebrate the growing impact of school choice across the state. Details here: https://shorturl.at/hAbqP 📊 School Choice Wins Nationwide: Recent referenda results show that communities are rallying behind school choice. Voters made their voices heard, supporting educational options that prioritize students and families. Explore the analysis: https://shorturl.at/qsfuS The momentum is clear—charter schools and school choice initiatives are driving meaningful change nationwide. Let’s continue to celebrate these wins and amplify the stories that inspire us all. 🏫✨

Check out Jana Boddy, as she advocates for kindergarten classrooms rich in play! You can read more about her in the Fall issue of Young Children.

This is the type of leadership we need in higher education.

Building Jewish community on campus is essential—but let’s be honest, it’s no longer a groundbreaking idea. These days, nearly everyone can name at least three organizations fostering Jewish life for undergraduates. That’s why I’m so proud of the work we do at The Jewish Grad Organization (JGO). We’re filling a unique and critical gap: engaging Jewish graduate students on a national level. No one else is doing this work like we are. Why is it so challenging? 1️⃣ Graduate students are often off-campus, each program scattered across separate buildings. 👉 So, we go to them. We’re currently active on over 155 campuses across North America. 2️⃣ They’re incredibly busy, juggling heavy workloads and tight schedules. 👉 So, we focus on quality. Our programming is designed to build their professional development while fostering a sense of Jewish community at this unique stage of life. This past semester, over 11,000 attendees participated in our programs—a testament to the need and impact of this work. Being a graduate student can feel isolating. At JGO, we’re working to change that—one meaningful connection at a time.