District Diversity Council Action Plan
During the 2019–2020 school year, our school community collaboratively created core value statements for our district.
One of our shared beliefs is that we value diversity and pledge to create a positive culture that safeguards equity, inclusion, dignity, and respect for all. From that belief, our board of education set a goal that by May 2021, we would advance the work of inclusivity and equity in Closter Public Schools by establishing a district diversity council to identify important issues related to diversity and equity within the district and to identify an action plan for addressing issues.
The district diversity council for 2020–2021 included the following stakeholders:
Teachers:
- Paul Aguirre
- Brenda Kahn
- Mary Lotito
- Kathy Lee
- Daniella Riecken
- Dara Weiss
Parents:
- Merav Bash
- Andrew Correa
- Elizabeth Donovan
- Ellen Lutvak
- Kothari Puja
Students:
- Brian Ding
- Arjun Kothari
- Hannah Shinder
- Lauren Freyre
Administrators:
- Patricia Eichenlaub
- Vincent McHale
Board of Education Trustees:
- Melody Finkelstein
- Lukshmi Puttaniah
The council members met multiple times and created an action plan for the 2021–2022 academic year. The council will continue working in the 2021-2022 school year by establishing subcommittees for curriculum/instruction/resources, student programs, staff professional development, staff recruitment, and communicating about diversity, equity, and inclusion.