Diversity Committee
September 10, 2010
As we begin the new school year, I wanted to update you on the progress of the district’s Diversity Committee. Since its establishment earlier this year, many from the Olentangy community and school district staff have responded and volunteered their time to this group. The focus of the Diversity Committee is to raise the awareness of, and provide skills for, every student, employee and member of our community to embrace, support and value the many ways in which we are different. Diversity is broadly defined to include characteristics such as race, ethnicity, culture, language, religion and physical abilities, to name a few.
More than 40 families responded to my invitation to join in the work of the Diversity Committee. In addition to community members, the committee includes district staff and administrators. Under the direction of Gale Marsh, director of human resources for Olentangy Schools, the committee began by preparing a comprehensive set of recommendations to better support the diversity that makes up our district. Action has already been taken on a few of the recommendations, and there is tremendous momentum to continue moving forward.
The Diversity Committee is led by Committee Chair Todd Corley; recorder is Susan Watkins. To further facilitate the efforts of this group, four subcommittees were created. Led by community volunteers, these subcommittees and their chairs are:
| Professional Development/Training | Cecil Hicks, Jr. |
| Recruitment & Retention | Scharron Kane |
| Curriculum & Instructional Materials | Alan Nevel |
| Create Awareness Among & Support for Families | Vicky Sherer |
In the coming months, I will continue to share information on the progress of the Diversity Committee. This work is very important to our district and remains a high priority; it enables us to educate our children with a broader perspective of our world, and supports our efforts to attract staff from a cross section of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
If you would like to learn more about the Diversity Committee – their work, the expertise of their members, or information on joining – you may contact the Diversity Committee at hrcertified_olentangy@olentangy.k12.oh.us or any committee member directly. You may also visit the Diversity Committee website.
I applaud the efforts and dedication of these individuals and look forward to seeing the results of their work. As always, I appreciate the support of our Olentangy community in doing what is best for our kids.
