A Glimpse of GloucesterTackling Diversity in the High School

Elizabeth Fortenberry, Annie Grumbles, Miriam Loebman, Jessica Shildt and Sarah Stuart

February 20, 2012

Economic EnvironmentGloucester 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.

A Snapshot of Gloucester

Land Use

Economic Environment Distribution

Urban - 28%

Rural – 72%

Employment

Employment Distribution by Industry

Education, health, social

services38%

Retail21%

Construction21%

Manufacturing19%

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

Community Diversity

 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

Current Ways for Families to be Involved

  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

Specific to Families of Seniors

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

Respecting and Celebrating Diversity in our School

Examples from Multicultural Curriculum

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

Academic Accomplishments

   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!

Effective Collaboration Within the School and Community

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

Collaborative Vision

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

Diversity

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

But these changes have not done enough…

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!

We Need Changes!

Faculty Faculty-wide Safe Zone training

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

We Need Changes!

Students Program like Challenge Day to encourage tolerance

and cooperation among the student body 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

We Need Changes!

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

We Need Changes!

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.

Final Vision

Gloucester High School website http://ghs.gc.k12.va.us/

Gloucester County School District website http://gets.gc.k12.va.us/

Gloucester City Data http

://www.city-data.com/county/Gloucester_County-VA.html#ixzz1l5ynrcik

Sources for Data