OLSON MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

Mission Statement
TheOlsonMiddleSchoolDiversityCommitteeexiststorecognizeandascribevaluetoall
ethnicandculturalheritagesrepresentedamongthestaffandstudentbody.

Diversity Committee Meeting April 20th, 2017

1. Welcome/Grounding

2. Update from Nick Vogel on Equity Work Group

Staff Photos, Map poster, Diversity Potluck
a. Next Tues/Wed (April 25/26) staff photos will be posted
b. Thursday and Friday May 11/12 students can add pin
i. Email go out with early may blast
ii. Vogel on news May 10th.
c. Diversity potluck will be promoted (May 4th) soon. Only 5 signed up so we
need to remind people.
i. People help with set up and clean up on the 4th.

3. DIVERSITY SIGNS (Nick at Fast sign on Lyndale)

Maya Angelou, Mae Jemison
a. RICH MAKE google doc with ideas and people

4. Diversity Day (May 19)

a. Promotion to students
b. Contact OEE/Human Rights for partnership
c. Passport lesson
i. Make Copies for each student
ii. Visit Social Studies PLC to partner for a lesson
1. KIBORT/VOGEL visit SS PLC to present lessons

5. Look at resources for STAFF PD on Equity:

Equity Lessons

6.LewisBrothersonMay18th??

Diversity Committee Meeting Nov 15, 2016

1. Welcome/Grounding

2. Update from Nick Vogel on Equity Work Group

 A. Staff education on Diversity
B. Powtoon on Native American History Month created by Jan Byer Native American
A. Human Rights coming in December Human Rights
B. February (Black History Month)
C. Chinese New Year is also February
D. May is Asian American Heritage Month
E. March is National Disability, Womens history
F- Festival of cultures-
Diversity Link

3. Update from DDAC

-Equity Audit coming. (Mohammad Khalifa)

4. Long Range Planning

A. Diversity Day (May 19th?)
B. What else can we do to make the Diversity Day Feel extend throughout the
year?

Diversity Committee Meeting March 9th, 2016

1. 1.Welcome/Grounding

2. Update from Nick Vogel on Equity Work Group

Staff Photos, Map poster, Diversity Potluck

March 14th: Staff have picture taken with a globe

Front Entryway: Staff picture - holding a globe listening countries of their
ethnicity

April: What are your Roots? Displays

Glass display case by MC: Flags of 18 countries
Glass display case by lunchroom: World map with pushpins representing
ethnicities of OMS student population

May 4, 2017 Diversity Potluck (Tie-in to Diversity Day and Festival of

Nations)
Staff Potluck - Staff invited to share an ethnic entree
Giveaway - 2 drawings for a 5 Course International Dinner at Jan & Bob
Byers house. Dinner choice: Asian, Italian, Spanish
May 19th, 2017 Diversity Day
a.
b.
Rich & Diversity Committee members,

Thanks for co-hosting our 1st Diversity Potluck. It's been scheduled for Thursday, May 4th in blue side
of the MC.

That morning, we need your help placing colored paper on top of small tables (for eating) AND long
tables placed in "L shape" (for food placement). We also need to get 4 big garbage cans and power
strips (for crock pots) from the Maintenance Dept. At 1:00, clean up and put things back in it's original
place.

Thanks in advance,
Nick, Jan, Lucinda, and Krysten

3. Austism Awareness month. (APRIL) Josie lesson idea

Lesson from Josie
a. Wear Blue (Autism Awareness) APRIL 21st
b. Email at the end of March

4. DIVERSITY DAY PREP

MAY 19

5. Black History Month Lesson--how did it go?

Lesson

NOTESFROMDDACMarch8,2017
1. -EquityNeedsAssessment(formerlyknownasEquityAudit)

2. WearecurrentlyundercontractwithDr.Khalifa
a. -Hopingtohaveresultsreadyforsummerleadershipacademy.
b. -Hopingtohavetheteachersfilloutareflection/evaluationpossiblyduringastaff
meeting.-ThiswillhelpgeneratetheplanfortheEquityNeedsAssessmentforthe
next3years.

3. LookingforEquityfolkstoleadseminars/workshopsattheSummerAcademy/Summit.

4. LatinoParentAssociationdeliveredtheirneedstotheschoolboardandsuperintendent.
Theyaremakingaplantomeettheneedscurrently.

Diversity Committee Meeting April 20th, 2017

 6. Welcome/Grounding

7. Update from Nick Vogel on Equity Work Group

Staff Photos, Map poster, Diversity Potluck

8. DIVERSITY SIGNS (Nick at Fast sign on Lyndale)

Maya Angelou, Mae Jemison

9. Diversity Day (May 19)

a. Promotion to students
b. Contact OEE/Human Rights for partnership
c. Passport lesson
i. Make Copies for each student
ii. Visit Social Studies PLC to partner for a lesson

10. Look at resources for STAFF PD on Equity:

Equity Lessons

6.LewisBrothersonMay18th??

29September2016
Whyisitracial?Whatisstudentbased?80%iswhatwedoaspeople,theother20%asa
staffmember
Whenwegivethemtheonetool,wewillgetthemabuyin
Wehavegoodintentionsbutsometimesweareseenasracist
Late-itcouldbecultural,itcouldberides,itcouldbethattheydidnthavebreakfast

WhenAndineedstotakeofftimeforJewishholidays
EID
19OctoberPDDay-onehour
NovemberStaffmeeting
Wearecontinuingtheworkonequityinaction

Survey
Culture
Holidays
Food
Customs
Commonality

ChineseNewYeareveningcelebrationatWWE
TasteofCulturesorNations

Diversity Committee Meeting 4/28/2015

1. Diversity Day (May 20th)
-recruit students for booths
-PASSPORT logistics
-hand out/put together in prime time?
-Rich make lesson plans for prime times--send to Annie for approval...
-Hand in to Social Studies
-VOGEL pick up treats for Social Studies
-plan to review applications
-Rich will send out notification of applications.
-other logistical preparations? Be available that day.
-schedule a date after school with OEE to support students making booths.
-SWANSON and me help

2. Lewis Brothers feedback

-interesting/awesome speakers.
-wished they were with us longer--left wanting more...
-condensed their life story--then talk more about strategies
-scenarios? Heres a situation. If you have grit, heres what you do

Diversity Committee Meeting 4/7/2015

1. Lewis Brothers presentation on April 22nd
-feedback on flex schedule? (located below)
-logistics?
-promotion on the news beforehand? Do we want to wet students appetite beforehand somehow?

2. Diversity Day (May 20th)

-Promotion--distribute booth registrations
-sign ups for supervision and helping students set up booths
-logistics for the day
-other items? Passports for students??

Diversity Committee Meeting 3/10/2015

1. Flex schedule for Lewis Brothers presentation on April 22nd
-2 sessions beginning at 8am.
-Other logistics/promotion?
-Send a promo clip in April to Garris for the news show. Hype it up with students.
50 minute presentations

Group 1 8:00-8:45 6th grade and 7-2

Group 2 9:00-9:45 8th grade and 7-1

FLEX SCHEDULE:

6th grade 7-1 7-2 8th grade

Pt 7:55-8:00 PT normal PT 7:55-8:00 PT normal

8:00 Auditorium Core 1: 8:13-8:55 8:00 Auditorium 8:13-8:35 1st skinny

Lewis Brothers Lewis Brothers

Core #1-8:50-9:30 9:00 Auditorium Core #1-8:50-9:35 8:38-9:00 2nd skinny

Lewis Brothers

Core #2 9:32-10:12 Core 2: 9:45-10:28 Core #2 9:38-10:21 9:00 Auditorium

Lewis Brothers

Core #3 10:15-10:52 Core 3: 10:31-11:13 Core #3 10:24-11:07 The rest of the day as
scheduled.

Lunch 10:52-11:22 Core 4: 11:17-11:59 Core #4 11:10-11:53

Core #4 Normal Core 5: 12:02-12:40 Core #5 11:56-12:40

Core #5 Normal Explor: normal Explor: normal

2. Begin planning for Diversity Day (May 20th)

Diversity Committee Meeting 2/4/2015

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mini+black+history+spotlights+on+famous+african+americ
an&FORM=HDRSC3

Diversity Committee Meeting 1/21/2015

1. Grounding/welcome

2. Update on Google Form from Nick

Get this on the school website?
3. Achievers. Still need teacher support. Now meeting in Todd Andersons room
8-10 kids per day. Focusing on missing assignments. Several students going from
straight Cs to all As and Bs.
Thursdays--Teddy calls home with Fs.
SUPPORT TEDDY. Stop by after school in Todd Andersons room Mon-Thurs

4. Chinese New Year.

5. Louis Connection--twins who perform entertaining motivational stuff.

-Dinna is checking into this--searching for dates (2 fridays in oct)
-Going to send me a promo thing to promote it for our teachers.
http://www.lewflu.com
BOOKED for April 22nd.
Ask Cougar Council to possibly help promote (Jonathon)
RICH book Auditorium

6. Black HIstory Month

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mini+black+history+spotlights+on+famous+african+americ
an&FORM=HDRSC3

Diversity Committee Meeting 12/3/2015

1. Grounding/welcome

2. DDAC update from Rich

-Share letter to district admin from Dinna: recommendations on items such as:
prayer in school, celebratory months, opting out of music/PE for religious
reasons, etc
-Leadership Group at KHS every other Saturday (next one is Dec 5)
-Parents intersted in joining DDAC?
-Scholarship ($30k available)
money can be used for anything related to integration.
Laura Krutchen at OEE has the application for the funding.

3. Normandale Hills Cultural Day (2/26/2016)

-Can we attend?
-How can we learn from this and add it to our Diversity Day in May?
-Emily Lambreht is contact

4. ACHIEVERS: How can we support this after school class?

-Looking for teachers to rotate through attending to support Teddy.
5. Talk about mailing info to families in need (Veap).

6. GOOGLE FORM asking students if they have a need. Students can Discreetly request
assistance with a need. This google form will go on the scrolling announcements and
possibly on the news.
Vogel is drafting this:
1. is this for you or a friend?
2. What is the need? (for example)
3. Additional information?

Diversity Committee Meeting 10/29/2015

MeetingatJanByershouseafterschool!
MakingSushiandtryingethnicfoods.Bondingtime!

Diversity Committee Meeting 9/23/2015

1. Grounding/welcome
-2nd Annual sushi making/happy hour at Byers house??

2. Updates on Diversity work this year:

a. SSP Goal #1 (Gap Goal)
ALC Action step update
What:
 We will hold an after school ALC class primarily for (but not limited to) non-white students that will
focus on, mentorship, organization, work completion, time management, and skills development. The
class will meet from 2:45pm-3:45pm Monday through Thursday and the location is yet to be determined
(likely in Todd Andersons room). At 3:45pm, students may go to Galaxy and then ride the activity
busor they may get picked up or walk home. Target Start day is November 2nd.

Rationale
This plan is a action step for the SSP goal that focuses on the Achievement Gap. Our goal is to focus
on non-white students who are close to proficient in READING and would benefit from extra support
and mentorship. This action step is a practical method for us at Olson Middle School to close the
achievement gap.

Details
-Teddy will lead this group on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday with Rich Larson as a sub where needed.
-Richard Scott tentatively will take Thursdays.

-This class will require a commitment from the students in that they must be present every day
possible. Students who do not meet attendance expectations will be replaced.

b. SSP Goal #3 (Learning Supports Equity Goal)

SSP GOAL 3 (Learning Supports Goal)
Equity/Diversity Focus - Classroom-Based Approaches to Learning

Staff will have a clear understanding of Equity and grow in their skills for implementation of an equitable
classroom environment suitable for facilitating learning across all cultural and racial backgrounds.

Evidence
The data study of the MCA scores for 2014-15 for the diverse groups of students show a need to focus
on increasing achievement while closing the achievement gap.
Additionally, our student population at Olson Middle School continues to change and evolve with more
students from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Action STEPS
Staff will engage in professional dialogue in order to come to a common definition of Equity.
Gather data from staff on their needs surrounding equity.
-What is your definition of Equity?
-In what specific areas would you like to grow as you educate children of various races and
background (ex: talking to families, delivering content,
Gather data from students on how they feel in the classroom.

PD based on the needs generated above:

Communication Plan
The topic of Equity has come to the forefront of staff discussions at Olson Middle School as we
consider addressing the Achievement Gap for our building goal. Staff are interested and eager to learn
more about how to meet the needs of our ever changing student population.

As the discussion has already begun, we will take the next steps through professional development at
school.

As the Learning Supports team prepares for how to identify the barriers, they will continue to inform and
engage the staff in opportunities to develop the cultural knowledge of the students and families we serve.

-All staff would have an understanding of equity

-All staff will understand the barriers to teaching and learning related to the various learning styles of students from
different racial or cultural backgrounds.
3. Diversity Day 2016?? Pick a date May 20th, 2016?

4. Richard Scott from OEE here on Thursdays.

5. Other items?