1. Tackling Diversity in the High School Elizabeth Fortenberry, Annie Grumbles, Miriam Loebman, Jessica Shildt and Sarah Stuart February 20, 2012

2.  Economic Environment Gloucester county – 28% urban, 72% rural·  Industries – education/health/social services – 20%, retail – 11%, construction – 11%, manufacturing – 10%  Poverty rate – 10% Compared to the state average, we have a lower percentage of families whose income is below the poverty line and a lower cost of living.

3. Urban - 28% Rural – 72%

5.  Diversity  County diversity – 85% white, 10% black, 2% Hispanic  63% voted Republican in last election  40.62% citizens affiliated with religion – in US at large, 50% affiliated  Of these, 47% Baptist, 23% Methodist, 11% Catholic

6.  PowerSchool software: See your students’ grades and attendance  Teachers and counselors are accessible. See our GHS website –  Also see our website for newsletters updated monthly on how to stay effectively involved with your student’s academic and personal life  PTSA and booster clubs

7.  SIRS (Senior Independent Research Study) Night: We will explain our expectations of senior research projects and what steps the seniors must take to complete this graduation requirement.  Financial Aid Night for Seniors: We will explain types of financial aid and highlight the different scholarships available to our students.  We will also be discussing how to fill out a FAFSAS  PowerPoint from presentation will be posted on GHS website for parents/seniors who cannot attend

8.  Gay Student Alliance –student organization that promotes tolerance of students of all sexual orientations -No Name Calling Week -Day of silence: national anti-bullying initiative  Professional development on diversity  Safe Zone Training  Let’s Talk About It site – anonymous website to facilitate community between faculty and students  Diversity in curriculum  We’re working to incorporate multi-cultural reading into the English curriculum

10. Twice as many kids in dual-enrollment courses for college credit at GHS than average in Virginia

11.  Our drama, band, English, and art department, as well as administration, work together on our annual school musical.  SIRS  English teachers collaborate on requirements and facilitating.  Teacher mentors  Community mentors- auto mechanics, police officers, x-ray technicians, hair stylists, veterinarians, restaurant owners, and more!

12.  The Gloucester community and faculty working together to help the students develop a broader, more diverse mindset.

13.  2005 consultant identified racial tensions as a serious issue at Gloucester High School  A Diversity Committee was formed to tackle this issue  Limited number of faculty were given Safe Zone training  Multicultural suggestions added to the curriculum

14.  The Gay-Straight Alliance hosted No Name- Calling Week earlier in January  Students were asked to sign a banner with messages of solidarity, but many students instead signed their names with messages of hate and discriminatory slurs  There are not enough Safe Zone classrooms in the school  Teachers rarely incorporate multicultural suggestions into their class curriculums

15.  School-wide  Bring back a consultant for new observation  Revive Diversity Committee  Hire more counselors to be available to talk with students about diversity issues  Currently, there are only five guidance counselors for almost 2000 students – far too few to properly address student needs and concerns outside of academics  Include information about cultural practices and holidays in morning announcements to enlighten students  Reinstate Back to School Night!

16.  Faculty  Faculty-wide Safe Zone training  http://www.gayalliance.org/safezonet.html http://www.gayalliance.org/safezonet.html  Make multicultural aspects of curriculum mandatory  Have teachers with diversity training present to other faculty on how to incorporate multicultural aspects into disciplines  Focus on multiculturalism in Back to School Night presentation

17.  Students  Program like Challenge Day to encourage tolerance and cooperation among the student body  http://www.challengeday.org/ http://www.challengeday.org/  School-wide survey to identify students and teachers who are understanding of issues of diversity and who students would be comfortable turning to as “ambassadors of diversity” within the school  establish a peer mediation program and train these students in conflict management, diversity and tolerance  Retreat for diversity/peer mediation training  Planning events to raise awareness of diversity within the school

18.  Community  Look for host for diversity and peer mediation retreat  Inform community about diversity efforts at Back to School Night  Solicit involvement and support from individuals and organizations in the community, especially those with multicultural or diverse roots

19.  Through these changes we hope to strengthen the Gloucester High School community and create a student body that is embracing and encouraging of all students and able to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of all of its members.

20.  Gloucester High School website  http://ghs.gc.k12.va.us/ http://ghs.gc.k12.va.us/  Gloucester County School District website  http://gets.gc.k12.va.us/ http://gets.gc.k12.va.us/  Gloucester City Data  http://www.city- data.com/county/Gloucester_County- VA.html#ixzz1l5ynrcik http://www.city- data.com/county/Gloucester_County- VA.html#ixzz1l5ynrcik