E⁴: Excellence through Equity, Engagement, and Environment

District Equity Council Members

What is Equity?

 Removing barriers, providing resources, and creating opportunities that ensure all students are engaged and represented in order to foster educational success and well-being.  Equity must focus on marginalized and historically underrepresented populations such as, but not limited to, racial and ethnic minorities, low-income students, students of differing gender identities or sexual orientation, and students with disabilities.

We will know we have arrived when:

• Our data shows that demographic variables do not predict outcomes, 
• We have proportional representation and engagement through all academic and co-curricular programing.
• All students, faculty, staff, and families report feeling welcomed, included, and represented.

Vision Statement

The Equity Council believes the District and our community must ensure that:

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core institutional values that drive decision-making, resource allocation, and the development and implementation of all policies and practices.
• Diverse students, staff, administration, and faculty are recruited, retained, represented, and supported.

• All students have a safe and inclusive learning environment and have the tools, resources, and support to succeed. 
• All staff, administration, and faculty are provided with tools, resources, and support to meet these goals. 

Mission Statement

We recognize that this commitment will be ongoing and responsive to previous, current and future discriminatory issues. We strive to prepare students to be reflective, strong and confident members of the global community. In furtherance of our vision statement, the mission of the Equity Council is to:

• Address issues and practices of racism, bias, and discrimination, whether systematic or implicit, that harm any student.
• Build and sustain internal and external partnerships to create opportunities for feedback and to support the needs of students, administration, staff, faculty, and the communities in which we live and work.
• Examine curricula, co-curricula, activities/events, instructional practices, school climate, communications, policies, and procedures to review and recommend changes.
• Work actively to address public perceptions and expectations as we continue to strive towards equity as a public institution.

How will the Equity Council impact Washington Township?

Equity Council is an administrative committee that will allow individuals from many groups (teachers, community members, students, parents, administrators, staff, etc.) to participate. The committee has the authority to make recommendations, suggestions, and decisions according to the required policies and practices within WTPS.

Council Organization

Membership: Total members - Up to 43 members as follows: 1 parent and 1 teacher per school (but 2 parents/2 teachers for high school)), 1 administrator each for elementary, middle, and high school, 1 representative from curriculum department, 1 representative from the special education department, 2 representatives of WTSSSPA, 1 representative from the Supervisor Union, 3 Board members,1-2 Student liaisons/recent alumni, District Equity Officer/Director of District Equity, and up to 5 TWP community members.

All members are required to serve on at least one subcommittee.

Members must attend 75% of the Equity Council meetings and 75% of subcommittee meetings.

Subcommittees: School culture/climate, curriculum, representation, outreach and communications, programs and policy, professional development/ways to support staff, membership, additional subcommittees as needed.

5-7 people should be members of each subcommittee. 

Each subcommittee shall identify a chair.

Subcommittee chairs will submit minutes for review and will brief the full Equity Council in the event of any discussion items or new pertinent information.

Meetings: One full Equity Council meeting will be held once per month, with subcommittees meeting an additional one time per month. Special Meetings may be called at the discretion of the Equity Council.

Findings, Recommendations, and Implementation: Any proposed items that will be presented for a vote shall be shared out to the Equity Council one week prior to the full council meeting.  Members must be in attendance, either in person or virtually, to vote on any item. Voting shall be conducted at monthly Equity Council meetings. Voting shall be conducted via consensus decision making.  For an example of consensus decision making visit Seeds of Change.

When the Equity Council makes recommendations, which could impact District policy, they will be presented to the Superintendent and then School Board for review and required vote.

Not all recommendations will require a Board vote but can be executed by administrative practices that already exist.