Attendees: 


Mike O’Malley
Meagan Kimbrough
Betsy Martin
De’Wana Smith
Dianne Gonzales
Donna Khul
Gavin Phillips
Julie Daniels
Kim Iiles
Rebecca Gallegy
Kimberly Ideus
Jenn Olsen
Lisa Pope
Jarel Ware
Kristin Martin
Elizabeth Millan

Possible Diversity and Inclusion Research & Consultant 

• Jen Cort-Education (Middle School Principal and Counselor) and Clinical Social working helping communities move from where they are to where they want to be. Works with public and charter schools. Working on sustainable programming and changing systems.
  • Works with faculty and staff, board and trustees. 
  • Goal is moving the community to NOT need her. 
  • Very structural, we are thinking of the right thing including hiring and parent involvement and thinking, recruiting and curriculum. 
  • Focus on but not limited to race but other issues as well. Money was mentioned and the buy in is important and she is willing to work with our budget but school needs to maintain a budget for future diverse resources and hiring. 
  • Only works with 6 schools at a time and there is currently one opening. Not sure how long she works with schools, it is a minimum year long project. Webinar for more information.  
  • Meeting with the task force and admin first steps, then analytics, support for parents and teachers, then curriculum and support for teachers…
  • https://online.fliphtml5.com/hzfxh/mdqz/#p=1 - her overview booklet
  • https://www.spreaker.com/show/third-space-with-jen-cort - her podcast

Follow up Questions:
-Is she local?
In the DC Baltimore area and does travel but is very accessible virtually. 
Would she have schools as reference? 
Some privacy for the schools
https://online.fliphtml5.com/hzfxh/mdqz/

• Research: Lottery initiative. Increasing diversity: In NC 197 charter schools, 60/197 currently approved with weighted lottery giving preference with economically disadvantaged students.  This needs to be approved by NC Charter School
  • Local school in Durham-Central Park in Durham first to propose and implement a weighted lottery system. 
  • Check out the doc. For the why? And with the change there need to be structures in place (transportation, free/reduced lunch, after school). This is on a federal income chart dependent on annual income. If you qualify for free/reduced lunch you qualify.  There is a rubric to follow for the weighted lottery. 
  •  In order to apply for weighted lottery through nc charter schools, 1. Economically disadvantaged 2. Educationally disadvantaged.  We would choose one.  To apply you have to have a cover letter signed by the board chair and it needs to be in mission, must meet needs of students not served by high quality schools in the area. Goal of students weighted and how it was determined. Must be a plan beyond admission. 
  • Not at all a quick process. Lengthy process that will require discussion, board approval, buy in from admin and staff for creation and support.  Need parent conversation as well. Need to extend staff diversity as well. 

Concerns and Follow up Questions: 

1. Without tech provided, after school care, transportation, and lunches we might not even have applicants. Work with a consultant to get aligned for NC charter approval. 
2. Non english speaking students would fall under education. Is there a way to combine both economic and educational?
3. Free and reduced lunch- Conversations were had to figure out what lunch we could provide without doing free and reduced lunch.  This is funding that charter schools do not get along with transportation. 

a.  Priority in funding. Applying for grants in diversity work. Fundraising for financial support

1. Grants? 

a.  Do we have an annual fund and community engagement? 20% participation last it was tried, now it is delayed. Grants will look at the history of participation. It is in the future vision plans. Will be discussed at retreat along with mission and values. 

Resources added- Diversity literature

• • Links for colleges that are willing to train
  • First hand communication with a teacher at Voyager that is ahead of us in this journey. Will share.
    • takeaway-if admin is not supporting, there is a huge uphill battle. Recruiting for job fairs

Zinn Education Project. Whys? Materials?’ Activities for teachers and parents/families. How to have tough conversations. Affordable and exciting material. https://www.zinnedproject.org/


• High School D&I Club: Club meeting went well! Students with good research and initiative. Visionary for the president of the club. She has a mission written out and ideas for the club. Right kind of student in this leadership role. She hits all four of the prongs and working together with Donna. Donna wrote grant for club funding thanks to research sent from Kristin Martin. 

Other comments & Follow Ups

-Made contact with We Are (Rhonda) still looking into education for teachers at ERA to support D&I since these training are in such high demand. 

-Are we getting parent grassroots support? Getting parent reach.
Parents will be included in decisions and ideas. Through board meetings and communications. Parents need to be a bigger part of our plan. Are parents aware that we are working toward that initiative? Next step is to take this to the board. 

-The great read aloud. Authors reading and book clubs. Middle School: Stamped! Oct. 5th  Sending over to Kristin. Participate as a school in the read aloud -- https://theglobalreadaloud.com/sign-up-here/

-How to begin making a difference. It takes time and encouragement to get where we want. Teachers and parents working with the admin to take root for it to grow and develop. Creating a scope. Task force, board, then working to empower teachers to change curriculum and community. 

What to bring to the board Sept 22nd mtg?

• Work on budget- Work with consultants and roll out as quickly as possible.
• have a consultant in place by end of October:

-Jen Cort is the ambassador that can make that happen.
-Here is the direction and here is who can get us started on the journey.

• Clean up 4 Pillars to present to the board as a one pager. Areas we want to work. Action steps prioritize.
• Secure funding. Asking for board and admin support throughout this LONG process.