Resources for Centering Student Experiences

This month's updates from The BELE Network [View this email in your browser]( Greetings, BELE family: With Black History Month wrapping up, we’re thinking of the continued need for an equitable education system, especially for Black students, educators and caregivers. While as a country we dedicate February to celebrating and acknowledging Black history, the end of the month doesn’t signal an end to this work. We’re renewing our commitment to transforming school by prioritizing students’ experiences—ensuring every child can learn and thrive. A student’s experience in the classroom not only impacts their engagement inside and outside of school, but it also directly shapes their identity, perceptions, and beliefs as a person, including what they believe themselves to be capable of and their role in society. As adults committed to unlocking the full potential of every student, we must focus on creating conditions that help students feel valued, celebrated, and accepted in the classroom. By doing so, we can build a system that serves everyone. We look forward to working and learning with you during this pivotal moment. In partnership, The RALLY BELE Team The BELE Learning Series Using Student Experience Data to Co-Design Learning Environments | CASEL, NEP, and University of Chicago Consortium on School Research Our latest learning brief explores five key actions that leaders can take to effectively implement student-centered data systems in creating learning environments where all young people feel seen, heard, and able to achieve. Focusing in on BELE’s sixth Essential Action, [Measure What Matters]( the key actions and practical examples highlighted were generated from experience partnering with districts to implement Elevate. Read it in the BELE Resource Library [here](. The Latest from the BELE Network Student Experience Messaging 2-Pager | The BELE Network This 2-pager features guidance and messaging for advocates, educators, caregivers, and others to use in making the case around centering student experiences in the design of schools and learning environments. This tool provides guiding principles, core messaging, sample talking points, and supporting evidence and research. Access it [here](. Transforming the Teacher Role: How Innovative Designs Can Improve Satisfaction, Retention and Student Experiences | Transcend While teacher staffing shortages and a dwindling pipeline are not new phenomena, recent dissatisfaction and resignation trends are shedding more light on the need for change. Transcend’s new paper explores innovative staffing models and strategies to help schools and districts transform the experience of teachers and boost retention and recruitment. Read more [here](. Partner with BIPOC Youth to Make School Better for Everyone | NEP In a new Medium piece from NEP, Ashley Kannan, a teacher in Oak Park School District, talks about using [Elevate]( to learn from and collaborate directly with his students. Pulling from his own experiences as a student, Ashley shares his journey in creating more equitable learning experiences for his students. Read it [here](. Mark Teoh, Education Program Officer | The Raikes Foundation The Raikes Foundation is excited to announce the newest member of their team, Mark Teoh. Mark joins as an Education Program Officer, with a portfolio designed to advance equitable funding mechanisms and investments that support students furthest from educational justice, focusing on students experiencing homelessness. Welcome Mark on LinkedIn [here](. Upcoming Events & Opportunities March 6-9, 2023: SXSW EDU Conference & Festival | SXSW EDU SXSW EDU is holding its annual conference to foster innovation and learning within the education community. Educators can come together to learn and share their experiences, tackle complex issues, and collectively build a path forward. At the event, Transcend will be hosting a “[Collective Dreams for Liberation]( meet-up on March 6th and a panel on March 7th titled “[Building Towards Possible: The Freedom Dreams Lab]( Register [here](. March 10, 2023: SEL Day Summit | SEL4US Spread the word about the importance and impact of social emotional learning during the fourth annual SEL Day. Help raise awareness for SEL, demonstrate SEL in action, and share SEL best practices. Sign up [here](. March 16, 2023: Liberatory Design Mindsets Webinar | NEP Join NEP for a free webinar on their approach to [Liberatory Design](. Focusing on how a liberatory design mindset can support work to dismantle systemic inequities and injustices, the webinar will help attendees to bring self awareness and intention to leadership, center well-being, and more. Register [here](. March 23-25, 2023: Spring Symposium | Kingmakers of Oakland Themed “Step Up to the MIC,” this year’s Spring Symposium will bring into focus multiracial, intergenerational, cross-functional voices to transform education systems. The Spring Symposium will gather students, families, community members, policymakers, educators, and district leaders to learn best practices together. Register [here](. March 28-30, 2023: Deeper Learning 2023 | Deeper Learning The annual Deeper Learning conference — where participants will get to share experiences, learn from students, and expand the ways they think about education — is coming up. The conference, hosted at the High Tech High Graduate School of Education, will be an immersive collective experience focused on student centered learning. Register [here](. March 31-April 3, 2023: ASCD Annual Conference | ASCD The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) is hosting its annual conference in Denver, CO for educators to learn innovative ways to solve problems, rediscover passion for education, and connect with other educators. Participants can choose from over 100 hands-on learning sessions to attend. Register [here](. Submit to the BELE Network Newsletter We’re always looking for new content from the BELE Network to include in the newsletter. Please share any relevant news, upcoming events, or case studies with us from your organization that you would like to share with the BELE Network. To submit, complete the form [here](. BELE in the News Parents Worry That Their Kids Might Struggle with Anxiety and Depression, Report Says | NPR Turnaround for Children Founder and Senior Science Advisor, Pamela Cantor, M.D., was a guest on NPR’s Morning Edition. She spoke on recent findings from Pew on children’s mental health as a top concern among parents in the United States. Hear Dr. Cantor highlight the importance of strong relationships to help youth through difficult times [here](. COVID Prompted Many Chicago Principals to Leave. What Will it Take to Help Them Stay? | Chalkbeat Chicago The University of Chicago’s Consortium on School Research partnered with the NORC at the University of Chicago and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study changes in school leadership. Together, they found powerful connections between school leadership and student outcomes. Read more [here](. New to BELE? Start Here [The BELE Framework: A Guide to Building Equitable Learning Environments]( We may have inherited a public education system that nurtures racial and class-based inequities, but it is ours to redesign. The BELE Network created a framework that gives educators, administrators, and policymakers the tools that are needed to create an equitable learning environment. [The BELE Resource Library: Find the Best Resource for Your Needs]( This new, collaborative space is an evolving repository of resources and recommendations from across the BELE Network, curated to help educators, parents, and policymakers create classrooms where every student feels valued and has what they need to thrive. [A Commitment to Put Students First in 2022]( This letter to the BELE community from Gisele C. Shorter, Education Program Officer at the Raikes Foundation, offers a vision for 2022 and outlines BELE's commitment to centering students in all aspects of our work. [BELE Services Information]( Learn about the organizations that make up the BELE Network and the services they provide to see how you can partner with them for your organization's needs. Have a question? Contact us at info@BELENetwork.org Follow us on social media below! Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [LinkedIn]( [Medium]( [Website]( [Email](mailto:info@BELENetwork.org) This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( We Are RALLY · 6565 Sunset Blvd · Ste 400 · Los Angeles, California 90028 · USA [Mailchimp Email Marketing](