All Aboard? Initiating, Maintaining, and Sustaining Culturally Relevant Education in a Diverse Community

Robert Bonilla • Cahn Fellow 2022

What’s the difference between working in a diverse school and doing the work in a diverse school? Navigating our community’s complex cultural nuances and helping everyone come together is a process that was initiated eight years ago and we are still on the path of discovery. We believe that culturally responsive and sustaining education is the best way to provide our uniquely diverse student population with a deeper understanding of our world and themselves.

During the recent years, we have taken actions to align our school community of students, staff, and parents centered around a focus on CRSE.  This has involved professional learning for school staff, library audits, teacher-created cultural units of study, and an Equity Team of staff and parents.  In this project, we explore what steps are necessary in shifting our school approach to meaningful and intentional culturally relevant and sustaining education.