We want to listen and learn from our community about how we can support various communities within Leander ISD. To help create meaningful and impactful dialogue, the district will begin its Community Conversations on Equity and Diversity with two community forums. These meetings–led by two college professors with extensive experience in fostering equity in public schools–will take place from 6–8 p.m. March 3 (Henry Middle School cafeteria) and March 9 (Wiley Middle School cafeteria) and will:
- feature shared learning by attendees to sharing their stories;
- and encourage collaboration on next steps to make changes and improvements.
These meetings are only the start of our community conversations. While LISD has been engaging in learning about the implementation of equitable practices, it has been largely limited to staff. It is time we bring in our student, parent and community voices.
Two professors will facilitate these conversations:
- Dr. Cherie Dawson-Edwards is Chair and an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Louisville. She also serves on the statewide Subcommittee for Equity and Justice for All Youth.
- Dr. Bradley Carpenter is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Baylor University. His focus is on the Development of Equity-Minded School Leaders.