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June 9, 2023
Dear Lion Families,
Every month the District takes time to educate our students on diverse topics related to the below monthly themes. All of our instruction is crafted to reflect developmentally appropriate instruction while aligning the instruction to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). This information can be found on our website under the “Curriculum & Instruction” tab. https://www.lindenwold.k12.nj.us/Page/1501
THEMES
September / October: National Hispanic Heritage Month
October: Breast Cancer Awareness/Bullying Prevention Month
November: Native American Heritage Month
December: Holidays Celebrated Around the World
January: Random Acts of Kindness Month
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February: Black History Month
March: Women's History Month
April: Abilities Awareness Month | Arab American Heritage Month
May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
June: Pride Awareness / Immigrant Heritage Month
This list is occasionally updated or revised as new designations or guidance on recognition months becomes available.
In light of recent media coverage, our families may be curious how we recognize the month of June – specifically Pride Awareness. The role of a school district is to ensure all of our students feel safe and welcomed, and it is important to educate in a way that everyone feels a sense of belonging. We want all of our students to feel comfortable, secure, and proud of themselves. We do not discriminate against anyone regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, disability, or other diverse background. We do not promote one family’s value system over another family’s value system either. Therefore, it is important that we all learn and grow together while respecting the role and teachings of the family structure. If at any time one of our families feel uncomfortable with our instruction please contact:
Dr. Marc Mancinelli (Director of Curriculum)
mmancinelli@lindenwold.k12.nj.us
Ms. Amber Callow (Community & Inclusion Coordinator)
agresik-callow@lindenwold.k12.nj.us
Grade K – 4 instruction focuses on respecting individual differences of others and being kind. Our instruction focuses on students as individuals.
What does that mean?
Classes in grades K – 2 will discuss stereotypes shared by the others/media and how that may impact our interests. Sometimes our interests may go against stereotypical norms. For example, girls may like playing with trucks, and that is o.k.! Personally, I preferred the Star Wars Millennium Falcon to the Barbie Convertible when I was little. Boys may like to cook just like Gordon Ramsay or Guy Fieri. Students may also explore the fact that families look different in our community, state, and world; although our families may look different, they are all families and families are supposed to help keep children safe.
What does that mean?
Classes will discuss stereotyping and how going against stereotypes may impact the way individuals are treated. This ties directly into respecting others for their individuality. Our instruction targets respecting and learning from people of all diverse backgrounds regardless of their differences and similarities. For example, how do we interact with someone who is unfamiliar to us? Finally, based on the NJSLS standards, students would be able to define one’s own gender and acknowledge that not all individuals may identify as their birth gender.
Lindenwold School District prioritizes developmentally appropriate education with the NJSLS requirements. If at any time you wish to discuss our instructional practices further, you are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Marc Mancinelli (Director of Curriculum) or Mrs. Amber Callow (Community & Inclusion Coordinator) who would be happy to discuss our curriculum for our monthly themed education, health related curriculum, instructional materials, and the NJSLS standards. All of our teaching follows the guidance outlined in the Lindenwold BOE Policy #2240 – Controversial Issues. Our instruction is never structured in a way to intentionally persuade students to view a topic from the teacher's or another specific point of view.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kristin P. O’Neil
Lindenwold Public School District Superintendent
