Equity & Inclusion

Superintendent’s Message

Superintendent’s Message on Social Media and Cyberbullying

We recognize that students come to us with diverse experiences, interests, and needs. It is therefore essential that all students have access to challenging and personally meaningful curriculum and instruction. Teachers, administrators and staff are committed to the pursuit of excellence for all students, meeting them where they are, and providing resources, flexible pathways, and targeted support to remove barriers to opportunity. We believe that equity is a fundamental value of a high quality education and that diversity is an asset to our school community.

In Farmington, we want every child to feel cared for as an individual and as a member of our school and classroom communities. In partnership with families, students, faculty, and staff, we seek to uphold equity as a fundamental value of public education – a value that embraces diversity as an asset to our school community.

• Hiring of K-12 Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
• School-based Equity Leadership Teams in every school
• Community Council for Equity and Inclusion
• Co-develop cultural competence among faculty and families through school-based events and curriculum projects
• Build faculty capacity to recognize and respond to bias-related incidents
• Recruit for and support diversity in the faculty hiring process
• Audit and add to text collections to reflect diversity and multiple perspectives
• Amplify and support student voice and leadership to promote social justice thinking
• Integrate restorative circles as a response to “intent vs. impact” situations
• Provide support through Family-School Liaisons in every school
• Support opportunities for rigorous coursework

As a school district we stand in unity against any form of racism, discrimination, or hurtful treatment of individuals based on race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, ability status, family structure, or any other protected class.

If you feel your child has been treated with disrespect, harmed, harassed, or otherwise denied an opportunity because of a bias-related situation or incident, please promptly communicate with your child’s teacher, counselor, or administrator to report the situation or visit Safe School Climate Reporting Form for more information.

For more than 50 years, the Hartford Region Open Choice Program (formally Project Concern) has been offering Hartford students the opportunity to attend public schools in suburban towns, and suburban students the opportunity to attend public schools in Hartford, at no cost to the student’s family. To learn more about the program visit Open Choice.

Family School Liaisons partner with families in the following ways:

• Support their children’s education;
• Monitor their academic, social, and emotional progress and;
• Advocate for their children when necessary.

Family Engagement Facilitator  

Kristen Wilder, Ed.D, Phone: 860-677-1659 Ext:  3258    Email:  wilderk@fpsct.org

For detailed information, please visit our CCEI webpage at: https://sites.google.com/fpsct.org/ccei/home

CCEI GOALS:

• Monitor and provide feedback on district priorities using the FPS Equity Framework
• Learn about and consider ways to address unconscious bias
• Model the norms of civil discourse and collaborative problem solving
• Engage with outside experts and partners
• Discuss ways to improve an inclusive climate and culture in our schools
• Support action at the school level to promote Equity Framework goals and representatives of this council

Natalie Simpson       Phone: 860-673-8270 Ext:  5410                Email:  simpsonn@fpsct.org