Empowering school staff to create positive environments for students of color.
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Empowering school staff to create positive environments for students of color.

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August 11, 2020

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is proud to support Community Schools, an initiative to transform schools into places where parents, teachers, staff, and neighborhoods can work together to ensure success for every student. 

In Milwaukee there are 12 Community Schools. Each Community School may use different strategies and activities to improve its school and community, but all share three guiding practices: shared leadership, equity, and cultural relevance.

In partnership with the Black and Latino Male Achievement Department at Milwaukee Public Schools, the Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership implemented the Coalition of Anti-Racist and Restorative Educators (C.A.R.E.) for staff at Community Schools. 

“The name ‘C.A.R.E’ is intentional,” said David Castillo of the Black and Latino Male Achievement Department at MPS. “Teachers are care workers for young people and are responsible for creating a positive environment for Black and Brown students.” 

In Milwaukee Public Schools, approximately 87% of students are people of color while 70% of teachers are White. 

C.A.R.E. is a series dedicated to building a learning community for educators to deepen their anti-racist and restorative practices and gain strategies for creating racial equity in their classrooms and schools.

“That’s the goal of C.A.R.E.: to help our teachers and staff see students of color as assets and provide the best education possible,” said David.

Fifty teachers and staff volunteered to participate in the pilot cohort for C.A.R.E. Donations to Community Schools through United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County help make this program possible.

“C.A.R.E. is helping me understand there are things that I need to unlearn,” said Maura Donohue, a veteran MPS teacher currently at Longfellow Elementary School. “I’ve seen the inequities at play in the school environment and I’m ready to step forward as a leader.” 

“Through the anti-racism cohort at Browning, we have been getting it all out on the table,” said Ernice Brown, head of the cultural responsiveness team and a special education coach at Browning Elementary. “But when it came to topics like whiteness and white fragility, I needed help. C.A.R.E. has helped me feel comfortable coming to the table to discuss these issues.”

Your gift to Community Schools helps ensure all students in our region have the support they need to succeed: donate today. 

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