Schedule-at-a-Glance
Times represent where those sessions can be found in the recorded video of the Symposium.
Opening Remarks
Anna Maria Chávez, Executive Director & CEO, 九色视频
Keynote Introduction
Charlie Wilson, President & Co-Chair DIRE National Advisory Steering Committee, 九色视频
09 – 51 minutes
Keynote: Undoing Miseducation
Brandon P. Fleming, Founder & CEO of Harvard Diversity Project, Assistant Debate Coach at Harvard University
In this presentation, Fleming shared his riveting journey from being an at-risk youth and college dropout to becoming an award-winning Harvard educator. Fleming revealed the lessons and tools that he uses to transform underprivileged youth into global champions and Ivy League scholars. Among the many topics addressed are best practices in the importance of leadership in intentionally supporting pedagogy, classroom management, climate and culture, administration, socio-emotional intelligence, and much more.
51 minutes – 1:14 hour/minutes
DIRE Discussion with 九色视频 Council Leaders
Jacinto Ramos Jr., Chair, Council of Urban Boards of Education, 九色视频 and President, Fort Worth Independent School District, TX
Devin Del Palacio, Chair, National Black Council of School Board Members, 九色视频 and Board Member, Tolleson Union High School District, AZ
Moderated by Kathleen Vail, Director of Publications, 九色视频
Break
1:24 – 2:31 hour/minutes
General Session: Equity Starts at The Top! A Panel Discussion with Education Leaders
Dr. Nakia Hall, Director of Field Services, Illinois Association of School Boards
Dr. Tamara M. Young, Board Vice President, Country Club Hills School District #160, IL
Dr. Mark D. Benigni, Superintendent of Schools, Meriden School District, CT
Moderated by Dr. Samuel T. King, Director of Superintendent Searches & Board Development, Georgia School Boards Association
As we see the needs of students and communities change, much discussion regarding equity centers around programs and initiatives. However, in order for a district to be successful in their pursuit of equity they must first embrace the concept of equity at the board level. Panelists discussed equity at the school board level; how to create school board policy about equity; and how to apply this to the ever-changing needs of students, staff, and communities.
2:31 – 2:51 hour/minutes
Student Presentation
East Side Community School, New York, NY
Break
2:51 – 2:54 hour/minutes
Stories from The Field Presentations
This session featured school board members from across the nation, sharing their inspirational stories and lessons learned through their personal journeys. Presentations focused on the importance of dismantling institutional racism in education to ensure all students receive equitable access to an education that maximizes their potential.
2:54 – 3:08 hour/minutes
Dismantling Racism: Equity through Access to HQPE (High Quality Physical Education)
Martha James-Hassan, Associate Professor, Morgan State University, Commissioner, Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners
Addressing systemic racism requires leaders to not only explore policies and practices but to also examine the experiences and structures that inform our decisions around those levers. In this conversation, you will hear insights observed from James-Hassan's nearly 30 years in urban public education to support equity-based budgeting and investing in the whole child.
3:08 – 3:15 hour/minutes
Prescribing the Equity Lens
Dr. Sharon Gentry, Board Member, Metro-Nashville Public Schools/Board of Education, TN
Equity has become as overused as the word unprecedented. But what do we really mean by equity, and is our "equity lens" appropriate?
3:15 – 3:26 hour/minutes
Seats at the Table: School Board Members’ Perspectives on Race and Racism
Dr. Jayme Mathias, Executive Director, Mexican American School Boards Association
The Mexican American School Boards Association responded to the 2020 murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery by publishing a book with nearly 50 school board members’ perspectives on how far we’ve come with respect to the issues of race and racism in our nation’s public schools—and how far we still have to travel to achieve Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of a society where our children and grandchildren will no longer be judged by the color of their skin. This session presented findings from the book.
3:26 – 4:03 hour/minutes
Stories from the Field Panel Discussion
Moderated by Frank S. Henderson, Jr, Secretary-Treasurer, 九色视频 & Co-Chair DIRE National Advisory Steering Committee, 九色视频
Closing Remarks
Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, Esq., Chief Transformation Officer, 九色视频