An ongoing work in progress, Saline Area Schools will continue to host the Affinity Group Listening Sessions in its effort to better understand families’ experiences in Saline Area Schools and the greater Saline community.
In his April 5 Superintendent’s Community Message, SAS Superintendent Stephen Laatsch said families are invited to join him, SAS DEI Specialist Ryan Kerr, and City of Saline and Pittsfield Township officials in “conversations with affinity groups to better understand families’ experiences in Saline Area Schools and the greater Saline community.”
His message said, “As an educational community, Saline strives to embrace diversity and create a culture of equity and inclusion. Saline Area Schools continues to focus on being a more culturally responsive District by seeking to eliminate discrimination and harassment from our system.”
The upcoming sessions are:
- April 29: Families of students who are Black or African American.
- May 2: Families of students who are Asian, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander
- May 7: Families of students with special needs
- May 8: Families of students who identify as LGBTQIA+
- May 13: Families of students who follow religious traditions
They will all be held at Liberty School from 6 p.m. to 7:30 pm.
In the listening session interest form, Laatsch said, “Over the course of the last several years, I have hosted a series of affinity group listening sessions with the intention of learning about families’ experiences in Saline Area Schools. The input has been invaluable. As an educational community, Saline strives to embrace diversity and create a culture of equity and inclusion. Saline Area Schools continues to focus on being a more culturally responsive District by seeking to eliminate discrimination and harassment from our system. This is an ongoing work in progress.”
Laatsch said “this year we are adding an official from the City of Saline’s DEI Committee and a Pittsfield Township official to further understand your child’s experiences in the District AND in the Saline Community. We want to learn about your experiences with our progress, as well as areas where we continue to have room for growth, both in school and in the Community. Your stories are of incredible value to the work we endeavor to do in Saline.
SAS said an RSVP is appreciated, but not required to attend. Here is another link to the RSVP/interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWsGfa2xpkJpnhCJxqHc9D5E1rcZ0p0ZdTMJKexXESy8qvvw/viewform?pli=1