2014

SUMMER
SYMPOSIUM
ACHIEVING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE STUDENTS
GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS x GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
MONDAY, JULY 21 - THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2014
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Dear Colleagues
Dear Colleagues,
Achieving educational excellence is the goal for all GCS students, but as
a district and as a nation, we have known for some time that the traditional
education system is often unsuccessful for African American male students.
As a district, were not content to maintain the status quo.
In GCS, we have chosen to focus on two areas where the disparity seems
especially great early literacy skills and student discipline. In 2011, GCS
launched the Achieving Educational Excellence for African American Male
Students initiative. Since that time, educators in select GCS schools have
been working to develop and implement strategies that have shown promise
in the nine participating pilot schools. And while we dont yet have all the
answers, we are developing tools, and most importantly, the desire to nd
new ways of teaching and modifying student conduct so that all students
will succeed.
Im pleased that for the 2014-15 school year, all of our elementary schools
will focus on making changes that better serve our African American males.
To make those changes, teachers must learn new ways of thinking about what
goes on in your classrooms and how you connect with the students you teach.
In short, that is why you are here this week.
Thank you for being a part of this effort. Thank you for being open to change
and for being a catalyst for change. I strongly believe that it is within our
power to improve the academic success for African American male students.
I look forward to hearing about the lives you will impact this year and in the
years to come.
Sincerely,
Maurice Mo Green
Superintendent
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Purpose and Rationale for the
2014 Achieving Academic Excellence for African American
Male Students Symposium
PURPOSE
The 2014 Achieving Academic
Excellence for African American
Male Students Symposium
focuses primarily on culturally
relevant pedagogy and cultural
responsiveness as a means to
improve African American male
student achievement in schools. This
symposium responds explicitly to
reading achievement and discipline
data of ethnic/racial minority
male students in public schools in
Guilford County. These data indicate
a signicant number of students
in this subgroup reading at a level
below prociency based on DIBELS
measures and are disproportionately
suspended at higher rates than
other subgroups. Reading difculties
emerge as a contributing variable to
discipline issues for ethnic minority
males in schools, especially African
American males, as early as rst
grade. Data illustrate the educational
outlook for an ethnic/racial minority
male is bleak. These learners have
been traditionally underrepresented
in academically gifted programs
and overrepresented in dropout
data, special education programs,
and suspension data (Ford, 1995;
Grantham, 2004; Pettit & Western,
2004), and many of their struggles
connect directly to their struggles
with reading comprehension.
RATIONALE
Based on DIBELS composite data
collected for K-3 students in Guilford
County Schools at the conclusion of
the 2013-14 academic year, 77% of
students had mastered reading skills
which place them on a trajectory
for later reading success. However,
only 68% of African American males
had mastered the necessary reading
skills needed for later reading
success. Further analysis of the End
of Year (EOY) DIBELS composite
benchmark data for African American
male students in grades K-3 also
shows a +4% increase in growth from
the Beginning of Year (BOY) DIBELS
composite.
As a part of the RttT-D sub grant
Achieving Academic Excellence
for African American males, six
elementary schools were chosen
to serve as literacy pilot schools.
The schools include Allen Jay,
Fairview, Irving Park, Montlieu
Academy of Technology, Peck, and
Sedgeeld. In grades K-3, the pilot
schools showed an average increase
of +12% from the BOY DIBELS
composite for their African American
male students.
Data collected on student
misbehavior in North Carolina public
schools and across the country
has shown a very persistent and
pervasive gap in the suspension
rates and lost school days for
African-American male students
as compared to all other student
ethnicity/gender groups. This
trend also exists in Guilford County
Schools (GCS). As reported by the
Diversity Ofce in 2012-13, African
American males missed a total of
17,867 instructional days due to
out-of-school suspensions. African
American males represent 20% of
students enrolled in GCS, yet account
for more than 50% of the out-of-
school suspensions. In 2012-2013,
the total out-of-school suspensions
were 5,516. Of this total number 54 of
the suspensions were kindergarten
students. Out of the 54 kindergarten
students suspended, 41 of them were
African American and 34 of the 41
were African American males.
African American male students are
receiving a disproportionate number
of out-of-school suspensions,
which amounts to a signicant
loss of instructional time. Thus,
the districts suspension rate is a
major contributing factor to the
achievement gap for this subgroup
of learners. Research suggests
that strategies such as providing
culturally relevant pedagogy,
addressing staff bias and preparing
teachers to effectively instruct
African American males are effective
strategies in addressing these
negative trends.
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2014 Achieving Academic Excellence for
African American Male Students Symposium
Objectives and Goals
This symposium supports the vision
of the Guilford County Schools
Strategic Plan by striving to
accomplish the following objectives:
1. Utilize students cultural
background to raise achievement
and create a culturally
relevant and unbiased learning
environment.
2. Critically reect on instructional
beliefs and practices as they
relate to African American
achievement.
3. Implement culturally relevant
research based practices that will
positively impact African American
student achievement.
4. Reduce disparities in equity
of access to rigorous content,
high quality instruction, enriched
learning opportunities and
co-curricular activities.
5. Identify and retain African
American male students in gifted
and talented programs.
This symposium is designed to
enhance and sharpen educators
knowledge and abilities to utilize
principles of culturally responsive
instruction as a means to engage
all students in the instructional
process. Thus, the symposium
will focus intentionally on several
aspects of culturally responsive
instruction including (1) developing a
common language around culturally
responsive teaching, (2) integrating
culturally responsive strategies
proven to engage male students
instruction, (3) recognizing giftedness
in African American male students
in order to identify and retain these
students in gifted and talented
programs, and (4) implementing
culturally responsive discipline
practices in order to reduce loss of
instructional time.
The overall goal for the African
American Male Achievement Project
is to increase the number of African
American male students reading in
the Benchmark category using the
BOY assessment measured against
the End of Year DIBELS assessment
and to decrease the suspension rate
of African American male students
by June 2016.
To achieve this goal, the symposium
is designed to immerse teachers
in cultural understandings about
African American male students
that will inuence their instructional
decision making.
This goal is supported through
the vision of the following Guilford
County Schools Strategic Plan goals:
Area I: Personalized Learning:
I.K. Reduce gaps and disparities
in performance between targeted
subgroups on identied measures.
Excellence and Equity:
I.6 Reduce disparities in equity of
access to rigorous content, high
quality instruction, enriched learning
opportunities and co-curricular
activities.
I.7 Provide a culturally relevant and
unbiased learning environment.
Early Intervention and Multiple
Supports
I.34 Pilot, evaluate, and scale up
strategies that improve African-
American Male Achievement.
Area II: Character, Service and
Safety:
Student Behavior and Discipline
II.F Decrease the number of out-
of-school suspensions related to
non-compliance (Rule No. 6) and
discourteous acts (Rule No. 8) in
the Student Code of Conduct by 10
percent as measured by the annual
suspension report. (2012 baseline:
4,213 out of school suspensions
(OSSs) related to Rules No. 6 and 8.)
2016 measure: 3,792 OSSs related to
Rules No. 6 and 8.
II.G Decrease the number of overall
out-of-school suspensions by 10
percent.
II.10 Expand the Achieving
Educational Excellence for African
American Male Students Discipline
pilot. Continue support and monitor
the discipline pilot to identify effective
practices that can be expanded
district-wide and that will include all
site-based administrators.
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Culturally Responsive Teaching
Acknowledges the legitimacy of
the cultural heritages of different
ethnic groups, both as legacies
that affect students dispositions,
attitudes, and approaches to
learning and as worthy content
to be taught in the formal
curriculum.
Builds bridges of meaningfulness
between home and school
experiences as well as between
academic abstractions and lived
sociocultural realities.
Uses a wide variety of
instructional strategies that are
connected to different learning
styles.
Teaches students to know and
praise their own and each others
cultural heritages.
Incorporates multicultural
information, resources, and
materials in all the subjects and
skills routinely taught in schools
(p. 29).
Using these characteristics to
improve culturally responsive
teaching would involve
considerations to the classroom
environment. Literature in the
classroom would reect multiple
ethnic perspectives and literary
genres. Math instruction would
incorporate everyday-life concepts,
such as economics, employment,
consumer habits, of various ethnic
groups. In order to teach to the
different learning styles of students,
activities would reect a variety
of sensory opportunities-visual,
auditory, tactile (Gay, 2000).
Culturally Responsive Teaching.
Culturally Responsive Teaching. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 08 June 2014.
Geneva Gay (2000) denes
culturally responsive
teaching as using the cultural
knowledge, prior experiences,
and performance styles of
diverse students to make
learning more appropriate and
effective for them; it teaches to
and through the strengths of
these students. Gay (2000) also
describes culturally responsive
teaching as having these
characteristics:
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Achieving Academic Excellence
for African American Male Students
SUMMER SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE
MONDAY, JULY 21 - THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2014
8:00 AM 4:00 PM
7:45 - 8:30 Registration
8:30 - 9:50 Session 1 (Concurrent)
GROUP A
Making the Connection:
The Role of Culture, Race
and Relationships in
Disciplinary Outcomes
Dr. Cayce McCamish &
Ms. Sherry Rogowski, Ed.S.
GROUP B
Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy
Dr. Geneva Gay
GROUP C
Empowering African
American Males to Succeed
Mr. Mychal Wynn
GROUP D
Recognizing Giftedness
in Underrepresented
Populations
Mrs. Dibrelle Tourret &
Mr. Eric Hines
9:50 - 10:05 Break
10:05 - 11:25 Session 2 (Concurrent)
GROUP A
Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy
Dr. Geneva Gay
GROUP B
Empowering African
American Males to Succeed
Mr. Mychal Wynn
GROUP C
Recognizing Giftedness
in Underrepresented
Populations
Mrs. Dibrelle Tourret &
Mr. Eric Hines
GROUP D
Making the Connection:
The Role of Culture, Race
and Relationships in
Disciplinary Outcomes
Dr. Cayce McCamish &
Ms. Sherry Rogowski, Ed.S.
11:25 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 2:15 Session 3 (Concurrent)
GROUP A
Empowering African
American Males to Succeed
Mr. Mychal Wynn
GROUP B
Recognizing Giftedness
in Underrepresented
Populations
Mrs. Dibrelle Tourret &
Mr. Eric Hines
GROUP C
Making the Connection:
The Role of Culture, Race
and Relationships in
Disciplinary Outcomes
Dr. Cayce McCamish &
Ms. Sherry Rogowski, Ed.S.
GROUP D
Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy
Dr. Geneva Gay
2:15 - 2:30 Break
2:30 - 3:50 Session 4 (Concurrent)
GROUP A
Recognizing Giftedness
in Underrepresented
Populations
Mrs. Dibrelle Tourret &
Mr. Eric Hines
GROUP B
Making the Connection:
The Role of Culture, Race
and Relationships in
Disciplinary Outcomes
Dr. Cayce McCamish &
Ms. Sherry Rogowski, Ed.S.
GROUP C
Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy
Dr. Geneva Gay
GROUP D
Empowering African
American Males to Succeed
Mr. Mychal Wynn
3:50 - 4:00 Wrap-Up
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Dr. Geneva Gay is Professor of Education at the
University of Washington- Seattle where she
Teaches multicultural education and General
curriculum theory. She is the recipient of the
Distinguished Scholar Award, presented by the
Committee on the Role and Status of Minorities
in Educational Research and Development of the American
Educational Research Association; the rst Multicultural
Educator Award presented by the National Association of
Multicultural Education; the 2004 W.E.B. Du Bois Distinguished
Lecturer Award presented by the Special Interest Group on
Research Focus on Black Education of the American Educational
Research Association; and the 2006 Mary Anne Raywid Award for
Distinguished Scholarship in the Field of Education, presented
by the Society of Professors of Education. She is nationally
and internationally known for her scholarship in multicultural
education, particularly as it relates to curriculum design, staff
development, classroom instruction, and intersections of culture,
race, ethnicity, teaching, and learning.
Dr. Gays writings include numerous articles and book chapters,
including A Synthesis of Scholarship in Multicultural Education;
the co-editorship of Expressively Black: The Cultural Basis
of Ethnic Identity (Praeger, 1987); author of At the Essence of
Learning: Multicultural Education (Kappa Delta Pi, 1994), and
Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Practice, & Research
(Teachers College Press, 2000); and editor of Becoming
Multicultural Educators: Personal Journey Toward Professional
Agency (Jossey-Bass, 2003). Culturally Responsive Teaching
received the 2001 Outstanding Writing Award from the American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). She
also is a member of the authorship team of the Scott Foresman
New Elementary Social Studies Series. Her professional service
includes membership on several national editorial review and
advisory boards. International consultations on multicultural
education have taken her to Canada, Brazil, Taiwan, Finland,
Japan, England, Scotland, and Australia.
Mychal Wynn was born into rural poverty in Pike
County, Alabama during the year of Montgomery
Bus Boycott. At just six months of age Mr. Wynn
was given up for adoption and raised in urban
poverty on the south side of Chicago. A low-
performing student throughout elementary
and middle school, Mr. Wynn beat the odds to survive the gangs
and despair of poverty to graduate with honors from Bostons
Northeastern University as his familys rst college graduate.
Mr. Wynns lifes journey has given him unique insight into
the complex challenges and solutions to increasing student
achievement and widening the primary to postsecondary pipeline
to college.
Mr. Wynn has taught middle school students and adult learners
at the U.S. Department of Labor. Mr. Wynn currently provides
staff development, parenting workshops, and college planning
seminars for students at schools and school districts throughout
the United States, Caribbean, and Bermuda. His dual role as the
Chief Executive Ofcer of The Foundation for Ensuring Access
and Equity and Co-chairperson of the Education Ministry at
Turner Chapel AME Church in Marietta, Georgia has allowed
him and his wife to create a nonprot-faith based partnership
as a national model for increasing African-American student
achievement. By coordinating the volunteer efforts of parents,
teachers, administrators, tutors, and mentors, his Black Student
Achievement Initiative has led to students achieving perfect SAT
scores and admission to some of the countrys most competitive
colleges and universities. This ground breaking program engages
students in local and national test preparation in grades 3
through 12, publicly recognizes scholarly achievement, provides
college scholarships, and contributed to increased African-
American student achievement in 8 Georgia public school
districts.
Mr. Wynn serves on the Board of Directors of the national Council
for the Education of Black Children and has served as a Scholar-
in-Residence for the National Alliance of Black School Educators.
Mr. Wynn has received national and international recognition
with keys to the city, a proclamation from the U.S. Congress, and
various community service awards for his work in increasing
student achievement, parent involvement, and widening the
college pathway for students from traditionally underserved
student groups.
Mr. Wynn is the author of 25 published works with, The Eagles
who Thought They were Chickens, Ten Steps to Helping Your
Child Succeed in School, and College Planning for High School
Students having been translated into Spanish. Mr. Wynn is a
living testimony to his belief, Where you come from, does not
determine where you are going, only where you begin.
Dr. Cayce McCamish is a licensed school
psychologist trained by the University of
Kentucky and applied that training as the
Behavior Specialist for Mooresville Graded
School District for three years. She served as
the Regional Positive Behavior Intervention &
Support Coordinator for fteen school districts in the Region
5 of North Carolina for seven years. Currently, she serves as
the Data and Evaluation Consultant for the Behavior Support
Section of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
She completed her Ph.D. in the Education Leadership and
Cultural Foundations Program at the University of North Carolina
at Greensboro in December 2012. Her dissertation explored
disciplinary disproportionality through the lens of color-blind
racism. Since that time, she has engaged in team-based
problem-solving focusing on responses to the underlying factors
contributing to disciplinary disproportionality at the school
Bios of Guest Presenters and Speakers
7
and district level. She is particularly interested in connecting
research and data to practical decision-making within schools,
understanding the complexity of student behavioral challenges,
disciplinary disproportionality, and creating school communities
that value and appreciate diversity.
Sherry Rogowski earned an M.Ed. and Ed.S.
from James Madison University in School
Psychology. She has worked as a school
psychologist for 25 years, specializing in
program development and training for school
staff that help the school building leaders plan
for and lead the implementation of practices that result in an
effective school climate and culture for learning for all students.
She also specializes in supporting teachers with classroom
management through training and coaching and is certied as
a CHAMPS: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom
Management and Coaching Classroom Management trainer
through Safe and Civil Schools. As the Coordinator for Positive
Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) for Guilford County
Schools, she has coordinated the efforts of 66 elementary, middle
and high schools teams who are supported by 31 PBIS coaches
(school psychologists and behavior support teachers) since the
2000-2001 school year.
Mr. Eric Hines Mr. Eric Hines is a native of
Reidsville, North Carolina and is married with
5 children. Eric Hines has been an educator for
23 years while coaching basketball, football,
and track and eld. Eric Hines is the Director of
Equity and Inclusion for Guilford County Schools.
He is an author and professional recording artist. Eric Hines
has presented at national conferences on the topics of racial
justice and providing equity for the success of African American
males. In 2005, Eric entered the eld of school administration as
Assistant Principal at T. Wingate Andrews High School. In 2008,
Eric became the principal of the Middle College at North Carolina
Agricultural and Technical State University. During his tenure,
the Middle College became a school of excellence and National
Blue Ribbon School producing consecutive graduation rates of
100% and university acceptance of 100%. Eric Hines received his
BA degree from North Carolina Central University and a Masters
in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro.
Dibrelle Tourret graduated from Davidson
College with a degree in French which led her to
spend more than 10 years in France working as
a French and English teacher and interpreter. In
2002, she moved back to the United States with
her French husband and children and accepted
a French teaching position at Grimsley High School which she
held for 10 years before moving to the districts Academically
Gifted department. During her time at Grimsley, she also served
as the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate
Coordinator. She is currently the Executive Director for
Academically Gifted with Guilford County Schools, a position
which encompasses gifted services K-12, including AP and IB.
She is also involved with other college readiness pieces such as
SAT, ACT, PLAN, EXPLORE and PSAT.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Members of the Early Literacy Subcommittee realize that this event
would not have been possible if not for the professional contributions
of various individuals, businesses, and organizations. The Committee
extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to the following:
Northern High School
Guilford County Board of Education
Carlton Roberson
Danilos Grill & Catering
Frogs Toadly Good Eats
Pita Delite
L&L Kirk-Classic Cookout
8
Notes
9
Notes
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GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS x 712 NORTH EUGENE STREET x GREENSBORO, NC 27401 x 336. 370. 3200 x www. gcsnc. com
In compliance with federal laws, Guilford County Schools administers all educational programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination because of race, religion,
national or ethnic origin, color, age, military service, disability or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law. Refer to the Board of Educations Discrimination Free
Environment Policy AC for a complete statement. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the Guilford County Schools Compliance Ofcer, 120 Franklin Boulevard, Greensboro, NC
27401; 336.370.2323.
All Guilford County Schools facilities, both educational and athletic, are tobacco-free learning environments. 2012 Guilford County Schools, 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
BOARD OF EDUCATION
SYMPOSIUM
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Dr. Beth Folger
Chief Academic Ofcer and
Project Sponsor
Guilford County Schools
Dr. Jocelyn Becoats
Chief Curriculum and
Organizational Development Ofcer
Subcommittee Co-Chairperson
Guilford County Schools
Gwen Willis
Chief Student Services Ofcer
Subcommittee Co-Chairperson
Guilford County Schools
Dr. Whitney Oakley
Executive Director, PK-5 Curriculum
and Instruction
Guilford County Schools
Subcommittee Co-Chairperson
Monica F. Walker
Diversity Ofcer
Project Manager
Guilford County Schools
Eric Hines
Director of Equity and Inclusion
Guilford County Schools
Efe McMillian
African-American Early Literacy
Coordinator
Guilford County Schools
DISTRICT 1
J. Carlvena Foster
E fosterc4@gcsnc.com
T (336) 434-4072
F (336) 886-3341
DISTRICT 2
Ed Price
E pricee@gcsnc.com
T (336) 878-7575
F (336) 812-3164
DISTRICT 3
Darlene Garrett
E dygarr@aol.com
T (336) 643-6070
F (336) 643-5477

DISTRICT 4
Alan W. Duncan, Chairman
E aduncan@vldlitigation.com
T (336) 645-3320
F (336) 378-5400
DISTRICT 5
Linda Welborn
E welborl@gcsnc.com
T (336) 601-5440
DISTRICT 6
Jeff Belton
E beltonj@gcsnc.com
T (336) 299-8805
DISTRICT 7
Rebecca M. Bufngton
E bufnr@gcsnc.com
T (336) 545-1103
DISTRICT 8
Deena A. Hayes
E hayesd@gcsnc.com
T (336) 272-9290
F (336) 272-9290
DISTRICT 9
Amos L. Quick, III,
Vice-Chairman
E amosquick@hotmail.com
T (336) 882-8543 x 204
AT LARGE: ALL SCHOOLS
Dr. Sandra Alexander
E alexans@gcsnc.com
T (336) 790-4654
F (336) 697-8155
AT LARGE: ALL SCHOOLS
Dr. Nancy R. Routh
E nrouth@bellsouth.net
T (336) 674-7083
F (336) 674-1245