Celebrating Inclusion and Well-Being

Achievements

At the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB), we continued to have an intentional focus on embracing diversity and promoting equity and inclusion while creating safe and welcoming places for all. We continue to provide mandatory and invitational focused professional development on anti-racism and anti-discrimination. This included increasing supports and building capacity and reflective practice for staff to notice and respond appropriately to students who may be experiencing concerns with belonging and safety.

During the 2021-2022 school year, we launched the Deconstructing anti-Black racism course at the following three DCDSB secondary schools:

St. Mary Catholic Secondary School;
Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School; and
Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School.

As part of the board's commitment to recognizing and dismantling Anti-Black racism and systemic barriers, we hired and introduced two coach advocates for Black students, with a focus on improving student well-being and success.

The board also started to collect data for the Special Education Review and have formed a partnership with the Abilities Centre in Whitby to engage in the Leading Equitable and Accessible Delivery (LEAD) Process. The LEAD Process will support an evidence-based self-assessment process resulting in a recommendations report, with an overall goal of developing a Student Services improvement plan in the 2022-2023 school year.

Highlights

Training:

Anti-Black Racism Training - Secondary Educators (October 8, 2021)
Critical Consciousness and the Front Office: Your Lens in Focus – Elementary School Administrative Assistants (January 21, 2022)
Critical Consciousness in Representation and Imagery: The Agency and Accountability of an Administrator (February 16, 2022)
Critical Consciousness and the Front Office: Your Lens in Focus – Secondary School Administrative Assistants (February 18, 2022)
Anti-Racism Training – Central Staff (March 9, 2022)

Invitation Learning Series for Staff:

Invitational Learning Series for Staff - Authors and Advocates: Illuminating Representation in the Classroom
(Nov. 22-24, 2021)
As part of the board's commitment to Equity, more than 200 staff members attended the four-day invitational learning series from November 22 to 24, 2021 focused on Anti-Black Racism, Meaningful Representation, and Black Excellence within educational spaces.

Keynote speakers, Dr. Akua Benjamin, Sean McCormack, Hayden Chadee, and Ginelle Skerritt provided insightful information on race, historical perspectives, the importance of Black and racialized students being represented in school resources, how to approach the literary classics while addressing racism and decolonization, and how to celebrate Black excellence, arts, and culture throughout the school year.

The presentations provided opportunities for staff to examine how DCDSB staff can make meaningful and impactful changes within our individual roles, in our schools and throughout the organization to dismantle anti-Black racism and create environments that celebrates Black achievement.

A special thank you to DCDSB's Anti-Black Racism and Black Excellence Advisory Committee for their work in organizing the learning series and for sharing their knowledge and lived experience with us.

Anti-Black Racism and Black Excellence Advisory Committee

Anti-Black Racism and Black Excellence Advisory Committee's Executive Meeting Dates: