The Virginia Beach City Public Schools has long been devoted to celebrating the diversity of its students, faculty and staff who richly contribute to the progress and accomplishments of the school division. The cultural vastness of Virginia Beach schools yields characteristics of ethnicity, ageism, national origin, physical and mental ability, gender, religion, race, and military status establishing a true multicultural hub that mirrors the globalization of our world.
In 1996, the Virginia Beach School Board further established its commitment when it recognized the differences among us by including diversity in the School Board's seven strategic goals as follows:
- Expanded Instructional Opportunities Through Data-Driven Curriculum
- Safe Schools and Effective, Well-disciplined Environment
- Effective, Efficient Use of Resources to Create Quality Educational Opportunities
- Technology Integrated into Our Curriculum and Instruction
- Recognition of Our Diversity – Respect for All People
- Quality Work Force: Trained and Accountable for Performance
- Meaningful Involvement of Community, Parents and Partners
The Diversity Workshop
Free to Be
More than more 75 VBCPS students represented their middle and high schools on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at the Diversity Workshop on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College. This is the third year the workshop has been sponsored by Student Activities in collaboration with the Office of Organizational Development. The all-day event included a continental breakfast and lunch, team building, courageous conversation about diversity, critical thinking activities, and a very special speaker, Marco Mercado (a VBCPS teacher) who delivered spoken word. VBCPS teachers and administrators as well as Ropes and Initiatives Course assistants did an outstanding job of engaging the students throughout the entire day.
The Diversity Workshop's student attendees were also trained to prepare them for the role of "diversity ambassador" during the 2008-2009 school year, and to serve on the Diversity Youth Advisory Council (DYAC) in their schools. DYAC can be found in most of the VBCPS middle and high schools, and its goals are to heighten cultural awareness in our schools and community as well as to promote reciprocal respect. The "diversity ambassador's" responsibility is to get on the meeting agendas of various clubs in their school with hopes of spreading the word about how diversity awareness can contribute to school unity. DYAC t-shirts, hats, and backpacks were given to the students to be worn in their schools especially when they are sharing at club meetings.
The students were accompanied to the Diversity Workshop by their school's DYAC advisor(s), and had the opportunity to rehearse and discuss approaches to presenting in club meetings for the upcoming year. The advisors were supportive and solicited ideas from the students about carrying out the DYAC goals.
In whole group, the students and advisors openly shared their thoughts and feelings about the connection between diversity awareness and school unity. The group was phenomenal and their words were powerful. (Click on Diversity in Action to read what the students said they learned during the workshop.) Electricity was in the air as the "diversity ambassadors" chanted Free to Be, the workshop theme, to bring a great day to a close.
Diversity Ambassador Motto
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Helen Keller
Posters made by "diversity ambassadors" during the Diversity Workshop
The DIVERSITY CONNECTIONS HOTLINE hotline is a service for all Virginia Beach citizens who have an interest in promoting unity within our public schools and our supporting communities. Through this hotline residents can express their comments about ethnicity, gender, race, language, physical and mental ability, religious beliefs, socioeconomics, and other diverse matters occurring among students and employees of the Virginia Beach Public Schools.
Call: 757.263.2222
E-mail: joanneh.lucas@vbschools.com
For information on the Diversity Task Force, contact the Office of the Assistant Superintendent for High Schools at 757.263.1170 or through the Diversity Hotline at 757.263.2222 or e-mail joanneh.lucas@vbschools.com.
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