Excellence Through Equity Conference 2023 – 10th Anniversary

Beyond the Surface of Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Presented by Marisol Quevedo Rerucha

This uniquely inspiring and collaborative session invites participants to engage in the deep individual and collective work needed to transform educational systems and build a culture of responsiveness. This session offers an integrated approach between trauma-informed care, cultural competency, and restorative-resiliency practices. Strategies will be offered to ensure a fully restorative and healing centered culture is apparent in policy and action

Connecting with Students and Families: Validating Home Culture

Presented by Dr. Ingrid Twyman

Students and families learn in unique ways within their homes and communities. Culturally responsive educators teach to and through the strengths of their students by leveraging the ‘funds of knowledge’ and cultural gifts brought into the classroom. Effective educators intentionally gather knowledge of their students’ and families’ cultures to build authentic connections and to create relevant experiences within the classroom and school. They validate and affirm students’ home cultures and home languages by building off their strengths and providing opportunities where students can be seen as their true authentic selves. When students are valued as unique, cultural beings, they feel more connected within the community and are more likely to engage in healing and restorative practices.

• Articulate foundational understanding of the three levels of culture, culturally responsive teaching, and funds of knowledge.
• Explore an adaptive leadership method that meets families where they are at while keeping the learner’s needs at the center.
• Learn to build relational trust with families and communities by positioning ourselves as critical friends

Amplify Learner Voice with Culturally Responsive Formative Assessment

Presented by Dr. Paul Bloomberg

Leading Impact Teams best selling author and school transformation coach, Dr. Paul Bloomberg, will challenge educators to amplify the voices of the students and families they support by guiding them on a path towards self-empowerment by advancing core formative practices (learning goals-success criteria, self-peer assessment, accountable talk, questioning, feedback, reflection and goal setting) through an asset-based, culturally responsive and sustaining lens. We will explore high impact strategies to launch this process as well as build the critical consciousness of our learners so they have the knowledge, dispositions and skills to make positive change in their lives while contributing positively to others. It is time to “amplify the voices” of all students and families through culturally responsive formative assessment.