FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2009

This past spring, HF-L School Board President Dick Rasmussen headed to San Diego for the
National School Boards Association’s Annual Conference where he accepted the Magna Award on behalf of the District. This national award recognizes schools demonstrating board leadership and highly innovative thinking. It was bestowed on HF-L as a result of the District’s many initiatives and board support for diversity awareness.

Back at home, several individuals honored by the HF-L school board highlight how this initiative increases respect for human differences, promotes a climate in which adults and students feel valued and respected, and expands the views of others in understanding diversity in our community and around the world. Bob Callens, HF-L Physics teacher and facilitator of RIT’s College of Science Summer Intern Program at the Carlson Center for Imaging Science helped three high school students from HF-L collaborate with students from Wilson Magnet School to complete work in the field of science and engineering. 2009 HF-L Graduate Kristina Chartrand and the HF-L Interact Club worked consistently to identify diverse groups in need and find creative ways to meet those needs. French teacher, Catherine Nye, increased middle school French students’ views of the world by facilitating the Quebec City trip for more than a decade. At Lima Primary, art teacher Jennifer Gillette used grant money to showcase the talents of local artists and expand student understanding of diverse people and cultures through a creative use of bird houses! And, at Manor, the Second Grade Team explored holidays around the world as students rotated through nine classrooms each showcasing a different country.

HF-L’s initiative toward diversity awareness began in 2005, when the school board established a priority for increasing diversity consciousness. Recasting traditional definitions of diversity, the board created a task force charged with generating goals, actions, and a timeline.  Subsequently, the board approved the recommendations of the task force and established a diversity committee. This committee meets quarterly to monitor and evaluate diversity actions and recommend new initiatives. In addition, the committee created a mission statement poster, a brochure, a website, and an awards program. Two board members serve on the committee each year.

“Over the past four years, staff, community members, and students have creatively sought out meaningful projects that broaden our students’ experiences and understanding of diversity,”
notes Michelle Kavanaugh, Ed. D., Superintendent of Schools. “Diversity is part
our Strategic Plan’s vision and program commitments. We’re thrilled to receive national
recognition for our efforts.”

The diversity committee’s next meeting is scheduled for October 16.  All are welcome to attend.  For further information, see http://www.hflcsd.org/other/diversity.php.