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The New Voices Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team aims to create a school culture that promotes an inclusive, diverse, and equitable learning environment where all students feel that they belong and that their experiences and perspectives matter.
We aim to cultivate and integrate our students’ diverse identities into every area of our school culture, providing them with opportunity for creative expression and student voice.
“Multicultural Education, and all good teaching, is about transformation– individual, collective, and institutional. Each of these levels is needed to foster student learning.”
Sonia Nieto
Important Dates:
| 12/1/21 | New Voices School Pride Day* |
| 12/1/21 | Alumni High School Info Night* |
| 12/7/21 | District 15 Equity Congress |
| 12/8/21 | District 15 Student Equity Congress |
| 12/8/21 | Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Team Meeting |
Upcoming Student Contests:
BLM @ NYC Schools T-Shirt Contest – Deadline Dec 2nd
Please head to the website for more info and then click to enter the contest! All Pre-K-12 students in NYC are eligible to enter and there is a $100 prize for the winner, whose design will be featured on this year’s T-shirt and merchandise.
Youth Communication Writing Contest – Deadline Jan 7th
Every three months, Youth Communication will highlight five recent articles and ask
readers to write a response to the author of a story. Tell them how you related to their story, what lessons you learned, or other ways the story impacted you. They will choose three winners with prizes of $150 (1st prize), $75 (2nd prize), and $50 (3rd prize). More
information is available on the Teen Writing Contest website.
Scholastic Art, Design, Fashion, & Writing Contests – Deadlines Vary Dec -Jan
The Alliance for Young Writers Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are open for students ages 13-and up! There are 28 categories of art and writing and prizes include scholarships. See the Scholastic Art and Writing awards page for more information.
NYTimes Student Reviews – Deadline Dec 15th
Do you like sharing your opinion with others? Do you have strong critiques and reactions to books, movies, restaurants, or fashion? Are you a foodie or a gamer? A music buff or a theater aficionado? If so, this contest is for you.
Get more information at NYtimes.com
Diversity in the Classroom
Classroom Library Highlights
Humanities teachers are always looking for new ways to diversify classroom libraries and highlight marginalized groups. This month, Ms. Pignataro and Ms. Hart were awarded books from their wishlists from the Steve Nash Foundation as part of a World Teachers’ Day Giveaway. Each classroom will receive over 20 titles from diverse authors and/or with diverse subjects and characters.
Images above show a sample selection from an 8th grade library
Student Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Team
Students have the opportunity to participate in furthering the equity work being done at our school by participating in conversations about current events related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as help plan community-wide diversity events.
Ms. Gonzales, a 7th grade humanities teacher, is the group advisor.
Applications for the Student Equity Team
Applications for the Student Equity Team were sent to all families via pupilpath. Please submit completed applications to Ms. Gonzales in room 303.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Team Updates
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Team is a collaboration between parents, teachers and administrators. We meet monthly to discuss, identify and implement change within our school community as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Please complete your survey before Monday December 23rd, 11:59pm
We have developed a survey of students, staff and caregivers that will be used to pinpoint specific areas of focus for this school year. You should have received these surveys in Pupilpath, but links are below as well.
Student Survey Caregiver Survey Staff Survey
Our January meeting will be used to analyze the data and create a plan of action. Our goal for this year is to focus on 2-3 areas needing improvement. We will tackle one at a time.
GSA News
The New Voices Gender and Sexuality Alliance has over 25 members across all three grades this year! GSA is a safe space for students to meet, support each other, and talk about school, life, and current events as well as participate in service-learning projects.
This Fall, students have been working on slideshows about gender, sexuality, and pronoun usage that they will share with teachers during professional development time. In addition, GSA members have designed multi-media art pieces to celebrate diversity in our school. They will begin working on those pieces soon, and once finished, the art will be displayed in the hallways of our school. Looking forward, students wish to make bracelets and other crafts to sell as a fundraiser for local LGBTQ+ organizations.
NEW VOICES | MS 443 