Anonymous wrote:I love how these school districts claim there's no money in the budget to pay bus drivers, cafeteria workers, paras, and subs a decent wage but they can easily justify a 6 figure salary that has no direct role in working with students and has not been demonstrated to help improve access for any of the students who need it most.

Could not agree more. Frankly it is discouraging to see more staff added to central office and my kids’ classes not having enough support. How often do these people help in the schools? I volunteer and never see anyone busting their tails like the school’s staff and administrators do.

There are two equity positions open right now - the Syphax position and a coordinator position at Yorktown. Here are the responsibilities for each. The Syphax position certainly seems a bit redundant.

Performs a variety of tasks to assist in coordinating the successful implementation of diversity initiatives, programs, and curriculum.
Reviews diversity, equity, and inclusion training, education needs and targeted intervention tools for alignment with the district's strategic plan and goals.
Assists with identifying or creating effective metrics and measures for equity, including attendance and compliance tracking metrics, generating equity reports to show trends, and communicating impact across equity programs and initiatives.
Develop proposals and recommendations for policy revisions that will facilitate the fostering of an equitable and inclusive community.
Aids the improvement and execution of equity & inclusion education efforts, supporting the development and facilitation of workshops, training, tools and resources.
Provides assistance, coaching and consultation regarding equity and cultural competence.
Performs data analysis to evaluate the need for systemic change in areas such as course enrollment patterns; equity and access; and achievement, opportunity and/or information gaps.
Collaborates with and/or supports personnel assigned to schools, other offices, departments, and non-school agencies to accomplish office’s, departments, and school division’s mission.
Conduct research and stay current on equity best practices and new equity programs and initiatives.
Propose, plan, and coordinate equity seminars for employees and the community.
Provide consultation and coaching to managers and supervisors to improve cross-cultural communication.
Collaborate with key partners and stakeholders on equity & inclusion initiatives.
Provide administrative and tactical support for equity & inclusion initiatives as needed.
Plans, develops, and facilitates diversity and inclusion-focused programs, and events for administration, staff, students, and families.
Keeps parents, administrators and community citizens informed about various diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives being employed to resolve educational issues.
Works in partnership with Human Resources on strategies to recruit, onboard, and retain staff from diverse backgrounds.
Uses data to identify how school, district and state educational policies, procedures and practices support and/or impede student success.
Directs the planning and implementation of staff development and training programs for departmental and school-based staff.

Supporting professional development focusing on the specific and unique needs of culturally diverse learners.
Designing and implementing professional learning activities related to inclusive and equitable environments for all staff that meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of culturally diverse learners
Supporting culturally relevant instruction in classrooms and culturally relevant interactions among stakeholders
Collaborating with teachers to improve educational outcomes and learning through co-planning, co-teaching, conducting non-evaluative observations and coaching in the area of culturally responsive and equitable practices
Working with students, staff, and families to help students transition from middle school to high school
Meeting with teachers and other staff to support students' academic success
Working regularly with students (individually and in small groups)
Serve as a resource for teachers in curriculum design and student support by promoting, advising, and supporting curriculum development aimed at teaching and learning to think critically about cultural diversity, co-planning, co-teaching, conducting non-evaluative observations and coaching in the area of culturally responsive and equitable practices.
Supporting professional development focusing on the specific and unique needs of culturally diverse learners.
Support and develop student leadership in matters related to diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice.
Plan, develop, and market diversity and inclusion-focused education, programs, and events for faculty, staff, students, and families.
Actively research new pedagogies, curricula, and best practices that address common classroom challenges in teaching about cultural competence, awareness of racial microaggressions and inclusion for all students.
Design, coordinate, and/or facilitate diversity and equity workshops, presentations, learning opportunities and other strategies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
Coordinate data collection, entry, and reporting processes relative to equity work and practices. Use data to monitor and report progress in areas impacted by disproportionality.
Serve on the school’s Equity Team.
Developing partnerships within and outside of the school system that support students’ academic development, social emotional development, and college and career readiness; including but not limited to mentorship opportunities, award ceremonies, scholarships, community-based field trips, seminars, tutorial programs, and summer programs.
Monitoring and assist staff with interpreting quantitative and qualitative data to improve academic outcomes.
Providing submissions to DTL newsletters, APS publications, and social media outlets that engage all stakeholders.
Serve as a resource and provide guidance on issues related to inclusion, equity, social justice and diversity.
Working with families and staff to improve communications between home and schools.
Meeting regularly with parents (individually and in groups).
Encouraging and preparing families to participate in all levels of school engagement, i.e. parenting academies, volunteering opportunities, and collaborating with community partners.
Serve as an advocate for historically marginalized students and families by attending meetings i.e., discipline, intervention, special education, team meetings, or parent/teacher conferences for culturally diverse students.
Other duties as assigned.

Anonymous wrote:Equity means every graduate gets into a “top” Ivy.

Equity means we’ve got to create a lot of administrative positions on the Central Office. For this position, it appears that the Director will report to the Chief of Equity, and I think- we just don’t need that person. I know there are courses we can’t run because enrollment just isn’t high enough- maybe 16 or 17 students signed up. I’d rather offer those classes to the students that want them.

Equity means every graduate gets into a “top” Ivy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

No, that is not what this is. This is legit. I’m friends with plenty of APS teachers. They’ve got people in this at every school, and then, the Central Office has put together an entirely too-large team of people. With 30 in a class, and the people that actually work with our kids are sick of that nonsense.

Wholeheartedly agree. And in ... what, 3 years since the original CDEIO position was filled, the equity "team" at Syphax has absolutely NOTHING to show for itself except one survey - one pathetically developed and useless survey. I've spoken to a few non-equity division Syphax staff, and they don't know what the Equity division has been doing all this time, either. They haven't even offered a definition of "equity" yet!

Yeah, equity has to trickle down to the individual kids. We can’t do right by any of them with class sizes this big. Obviously, some central office positions are necessary, but I think they should have this one covered with the staff they’ve already hired for it.

Right, because you know exactly what everyone is and isn't doing. They should have consulted you before making the decision for sure.

Tell me what they do, then. I’m all ears.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

No, that is not what this is. This is legit. I’m friends with plenty of APS teachers. They’ve got people in this at every school, and then, the Central Office has put together an entirely too-large team of people. With 30 in a class, and the people that actually work with our kids are sick of that nonsense.

Wholeheartedly agree. And in ... what, 3 years since the original CDEIO position was filled, the equity "team" at Syphax has absolutely NOTHING to show for itself except one survey - one pathetically developed and useless survey. I've spoken to a few non-equity division Syphax staff, and they don't know what the Equity division has been doing all this time, either. They haven't even offered a definition of "equity" yet!

Yeah, equity has to trickle down to the individual kids. We can’t do right by any of them with class sizes this big. Obviously, some central office positions are necessary, but I think they should have this one covered with the staff they’ve already hired for it.

Right, because you know exactly what everyone is and isn't doing. They should have consulted you before making the decision for sure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

No, that is not what this is. This is legit. I’m friends with plenty of APS teachers. They’ve got people in this at every school, and then, the Central Office has put together an entirely too-large team of people. With 30 in a class, and the people that actually work with our kids are sick of that nonsense.

Wholeheartedly agree. And in ... what, 3 years since the original CDEIO position was filled, the equity "team" at Syphax has absolutely NOTHING to show for itself except one survey - one pathetically developed and useless survey. I've spoken to a few non-equity division Syphax staff, and they don't know what the Equity division has been doing all this time, either. They haven't even offered a definition of "equity" yet!

Yeah, equity has to trickle down to the individual kids. We can’t do right by any of them with class sizes this big. Obviously, some central office positions are necessary, but I think they should have this one covered with the staff they’ve already hired for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

No, that is not what this is. This is legit. I’m friends with plenty of APS teachers. They’ve got people in this at every school, and then, the Central Office has put together an entirely too-large team of people. With 30 in a class, and the people that actually work with our kids are sick of that nonsense.

Wholeheartedly agree. And in ... what, 3 years since the original CDEIO position was filled, the equity "team" at Syphax has absolutely NOTHING to show for itself except one survey - one pathetically developed and useless survey. I've spoken to a few non-equity division Syphax staff, and they don't know what the Equity division has been doing all this time, either. They haven't even offered a definition of "equity" yet!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

Help us understand why it's more important to add admin positions at Syphax than teachers who can give one on one instruction to catch kids up?

I'm pretty sure their point is none of us are in the business of running a public school system and these forums are full of non constructive criticism of leadership and the assumption that these leaders are somehow inherently corrupt or incompetent.

I don’t think leadership is corrupt, but I think they’re making a mistake. Again, we have school-based equity coordinators, specialists, officers, chiefs- for equity. It’s way too much. My criticism is very constructive. Don’t hire for this. Use the existing staff to do whatever it was this person was going to, and hire another teacher (or honestly, two, for what they’ll pay this person).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

Help us understand why it's more important to add admin positions at Syphax than teachers who can give one on one instruction to catch kids up?

I'm pretty sure their point is none of us are in the business of running a public school system and these forums are full of non constructive criticism of leadership and the assumption that these leaders are somehow inherently corrupt or incompetent.

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

Help us understand why it's more important to add admin positions at Syphax than teachers who can give one on one instruction to catch kids up?

Anonymous wrote:The super is an equity officer. Are they buds?

It’s his background, and I get it, but he’s overdone it. Enough. No more equity management positions.

Anonymous wrote:You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.

No, that is not what this is. This is legit. I’m friends with plenty of APS teachers. They’ve got people in this at every school, and then, the Central Office has put together an entirely too-large team of people. With 30 in a class, and the people that actually work with our kids are sick of that nonsense.

The super is an equity officer. Are they buds?

You guys are like listening to NFL fans Monday Morning Quarterbacking as if you have any idea what's required to run a school system like APS.