Celebrating Student Diversity: How has Albany School of Humanities Created a Culture of Belongingness?
By, Marie Culihan, Principal of Albany School of Humanities (ASH) and Maria Khan, an ASH Parent and Postdoctoral Associate at NYKids
Research has demonstrated the benefits of celebrating diversity in classrooms and schools including improved academic outcomes, better social-emotional capabilities and long-term benefits. Prior research by NYKids also concluded that engaging families in culturally responsive and collaborative approaches has a positive impact on student performance and in fostering community empowerment.
Albany School of Humanities (ASH), a NYKids research partner school in the City School District of Albany (CSDA), has been celebrating student diversity and placing student belongingness at the heart of each initiative. In fact, just recently ASH has been recognized as a “Gold Star School” for their “No Place for Hate” campaign facilitated by ASH’s student equity team. The initiative focuses on the belongingness of each student by building a learning community of inclusivity, respect, and equity.
How has ASH Celebrated Student Diversity and Created a Culture of Belongingness?
This blog highlights some of the strategies that ASH has in place to ensure that students and their families feel a strong connection to the school.
Everyone is Welcome at ASH
ASH’s vision statement is: “At Albany School of Humanities, we will educate, engage, and enrich everyone, everyday.”
ASH’s mascot, the red dragon, represents love, passion, care and commitment to young children through family engagement.
ASH is one of the most diverse and largest elementary schools within CSDA with 374 students. ASH students and their families represent over 40 countries and as many cultures, ethnicities, religions and languages.
As soon as students enter the school, they are greeted with flags in the main lobby and hallways. Each flag represents the home country that ASH students and their families represent. These flags promote an inclusive and diverse school culture and is the first greeting that visitors receive to let them know that they are welcome and a part of the school community.
Engaging Parents and Families
ASH conducts frequent check-ins with parents throughout the year to maintain effective two-way communication via parent surveys, Class Dojo, and parent conferences.
Parents are also invited to use the Parent Engagement Room in the school building and reach out to the school staff for any big or small need. ASH also has worked hard to address economic diversity and eliminate any barriers to accessing grade-level standards by providing families with access to a food pantry, clothing, winter coats, school supplies, and basic needs.
In addition, the ASH Parent Teacher Association (PTA) plays an integral role in connecting parents, faculty, and students with the shared goal of making the ASH school community a better place for all.
Student Equity Team
ASH’s student-run equity team focuses on making sure every student feels part of the school community and creates opportunities for all students to use their voice to express their desires and passions.
The Equity Team also helps select books for the “One School, One Book” program that ASH participates in. The pictures on ASH’s walls represent each book the school community has read together over the last six years. To date, there are 21 books that have been read as an entire school community and chosen by the student equity team. Each book focused on belonging, acceptance, and identity.
(Picture above: Students wearing “I am enough” T-shirts at the field day– One school, One book series. Pictures below: ASH walls)
Academic Achievement, Student Diversity, and Multiculturalism during the School Day
ASH has a multicultural approach with a strong focus on arts, literature, and music infused throughout the school day. Education at ASH is viewed through a humanities lens. In addition to art and music, ASH learners participate in weekly theater arts and creative movement activities.
ASH students’ academic achievement, as indicated by NWEA scores, show that 70% of students met their projected growth in reading and 80% of students have met their projected growth in math.
The learning environment at ASH fosters a sense of self, with students and staff participating in school-wide mindful moments, community-service projects and Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) events.
During the academic year 2022-23, 50% of ASH students were involved in musical ensembles fostering their creativity, and 100% of ASH students participated in theater-arts classes with a focus on building social skills such as fostering positive relationships, conflict resolution, and learning empathy.
Students are welcome to celebrate special days with their classmates. For example, a Muslim student in second grade came to school dressed in his Pakistani clothes and brought desserts to share on the Eid holiday (which was not a vacation day this year). The student did not want to miss school and wanted to share Eid with his teacher and classmates.
Special Events
ASH hosts five parent-involvement events annually in addition to all the events hosted throughout the year. One special event hosted in the spring of 2023 is the “Multicultural Night” where over twenty families signed up for a table representing their cultural heritage and celebrating their backgrounds. From France to the Philippines, Egypt to Puerto Rico, and everywhere in between, students, families, and staff come together to celebrate multicultural night.
What’s Next?
ASH has exciting plans for the next school year to keep cultivating belonginess and fostering a culture that celebrates and embraces diversity. To continue following ASH’s journey, you are invited to follow them on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
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