On Tuesday, June 5, Assistant Superintendent Mary Lammi was joined by several members of the district's REAL (Race, Equity, Access, Leadership) Coalition to give the School Committee an update on initiatives and goals stemming from the recent Equity Audit.
The REAL Collation was formed to provided leadership and guidance on eliminating barriers to racial equity and supporting the advancement of all learners in the Needham Public Schools. In addition to administrators, the REAL Coalition has now been expanded to include parents, teachers, students, and school committee members.
The Committee has identified six key areas and has formed a subcommittee for each:
1. Communications and Community Engagement 2. Culture and Climate 3. Professional Learning 4. Curriculum, Programs, and Data 5. Policies, Procedures, and Practices 6. Hiring and Employment Practices
In a detailed presentation, the group discussed the progress in these areas, as well as future goals. The plan is for the work of the REAL Coalition to be ongoing, with periodic progress reports to the School Committee over the coming months.