Welcome!

Our intention with this page is to provide information coming out of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Office (Office of DEI Director Ms. Caitlan Sheehan) specific to updates, resources, and more relative to our work to provide obstacle-free access and deeper learning experiences for all within our school system.

Our goal, and obligation as a public school, is to provide skill-based, obstacle-free access (EQUITY) within our school system to enhance our sense of belonging and respect (INCLUSION), for all members of the Duxbury community, to establish a learning environment that affirms our unique differences and fosters a respect for all viewpoints and inclusivity for all groups (DIVERSITY), including those that have been historically marginalized, through student engagement and empowerment.

We achieve our goal by engaging in a collaborative, collective, and embedded approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Establish / re-establish our shared set of values and expectations that influence how we interact and collaborate with one another as an entire school community to achieve make meaning together and find a mutual sense of understanding across differences (CULTURE)

• Utilize strategies that affirm each student’s unique identity, build a welcoming and inclusive community, and cultivate engaged and empowered learners (TEACHING & LEARNING)

• Complete a critical examination of the district's culture, practices, systems, and policies to identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth (SYSTEMS & OPERATIONS)

In order to define what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean for Duxbury Public Schools, our district working group (DEI Committee) engaged in a World Cafe protocol to establish a shared, fundamental understanding of these terms and their meanings. These definitions were then taken to a cross-section of students in grades 6-12 to solicit their feedback and ensure their voices, and ultimately their stamp of approval, was part of this process.

Being able to establish shared, common DPS definitions for "diversity", "equity", and "inclusion" is vital for understanding how the concepts are both separate and how they interact. With our shared definitions, we are able to set clear goals and strategies around them to best meet the diverse needs of all students in Duxbury.

At DPS, we believe in utilizing culturally responsive instructional practices to engage our students in DEEPER LEARNING using strategies that affirm each student’s unique identity, build a welcoming and inclusive community, and cultivate engaged and empowered learners. Below, please find more details about how our staff utilize these practices and strategies.

Deeper Learning is an equity strategy that provides opportunity for mastery (multiple means of engagement for skill acquisition), identity (multiple means of representation in curricular resources), and creativity (multiple means of action and expression.) Deeper learning is culturally responsive and inclusive.

Please see here for a presentation provided at the January 4, 2023 School Committee Meeting for more details on culturally responsive teaching.

The DEI Committee is a District Working Group comprised of stakeholders from the Duxbury community that work together to help advance our goal of providing skill-based, obstacle-free access within our school system to enhance our sense of belonging and respect for all members of the Duxbury community.

The council was established the fall of 2021 and first convened that October. The intended outcome of this group is to explore personal beliefs about diversity, equity, and inclusion and increase understanding and sensitivity among diverse groups and:

• Increase awareness and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and what that means at DPS

• Identify strategies, training, and events to bring awareness around DEI in general as well as items that specifically help advance our goal

• Review, provide feedback on, and suggest policies and procedures that will aid in our goal of obstacle-free access and enhancing our sense of belonging and respect for all members of our community

Follow DEISAC On Instagram @duxsuperfan!

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Advisory Council (DEISAC) is a group of students in grades 9-12 who act as an advisory group to DPS administration, most specifically DEI Director Ms. Sheehan.

The idea was born in the Spring of 2021 by then-sophomore Jane Stravin and fully developed by a small group of DPS students. It is student-created, student-organized, and student-led.

DEI Student Advisory Council members attend meetings to stay informed about relevant issues of community, culture, and equity at DPS. They represent and report back to their peers, and advise the DEI Director as part of their decision-making process. DEI Student Advisory Council members work on special projects and receive valuable leadership training and experience. Most importantly, they effect change at DPS to ensure each student has equitable access to achieve personal and academic excellence.

Duxbury Public Schools engaged in a collaborative equity audit process during the 2022-23 school year. This process enabled the District to recognize and identify root causes of inequities through a collaborative critical examination of the district's culture, trends, practices, and policies to identify where supports exist/if these supports are working and where the disparities exist.

The outcome of the audit resulted in guidance that explains and supports findings, including clear recommendations for our next steps. The equity audit report identifies high-leverage, research-based and data-driven, practical suggestions to take and action steps to address identified inequity patterns. The evidence-based report will help guide continuous cycles of improvement for DPS.

In May 2023, our District DEI Committee dug through the equity audit report and identified our current high-priority areas to address, linked here.

Looking to the Fall 2023, our committee intends to develop a communication plan for collective meaning-making of the entire report for all stakeholders. We intend to think about: How can we effectively communicate the report to build understanding of the audit, its priority areas, and its related recommendations to develop a shared understanding of how to increase individual and collective responsibility for creating a more equitable and inclusive school community?