The purpose of NCOE’s Community of Belonging is to ensure equitable, inclusive and safe learning and work environments that celebrate the children, families, and staff of NCOE.
Community of Belonging Staff Picks
U.S. 250th Anniversary, CA 175th Anniversary (external website, new window)
Staff Pick: Amber León, SELPA Fiscal Analyst
As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity to explore not only significant moments in our nation’s history, but also the individuals and communities whose contributions expanded opportunity, strengthened democracy, and helped advance the promise of a more inclusive society. The Smithsonian Institution has developed a collection of free educational resources that invite learners of all ages to engage with our nation’s history through diverse stories, perspectives, and experiences. Whether you are an educator, student, or lifelong learner, these resources offer meaningful opportunities for reflection and discovery.
Dr. Bettina Love on Cultural Memory in Youth Creativity and Hip Hop (external website, new window)
Staff Pick: Susan Stewart, Director ASPEN Partnership
In this clip, Dr. Love traces a throughline between contemporary youth expression and older, often ancestral, cultural practices. Her larger argument is that students who identify with Hip Hop culture have too often been dismissed or seen as deficient in schools because of mainstream misconceptions about that culture, even though the same students display grit, social-emotional intelligence, and improvisational skill that predict academic success. (Bonus: Dr. Love illustrates her point with a video clip of a toddler rapping with his dad.) This clip is a compact case study in what’s possible when a system recognizes the cultural assets students bring to the educational environment. It’s a fitting lens for a moment when the country is reflecting on 250 years of a shared, and deeply plural, story.
First America Podcast (external website, new window)
Staff Pick: Arianna Feltman, Media Design Specialist, Desired Results Access
Hosted by award-winning Cherokee journalist Rebecca Nagle, First America explores the founding of the United States through Indigenous perspectives that are often overlooked in traditional history. Through conversations with Native historians and scholars, the series examines how relationships with Indigenous nations shaped the American Revolution, the Constitution, and the development of the federal government. As we reflect on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this podcast invites us to consider the many voices, experiences, and perspectives that have shaped our nation’s history. It offers an opportunity to revisit familiar stories with fresh insight, reflect on whose histories have been emphasized or overlooked, and deepen our understanding of the complex events that continue to influence our society today.
- Establish a process that is bigger than “training” and holds us all accountable to acting on our shared values.
- Provide opportunities for students and community members to be educated in cultural understanding.
- Create resources/ strategies to assist departments in learning about and implementing practices that support belonging.
- Engage in a sustainable improvement plan that includes data driven assessment of our gaps and inequities, and provides recommendations for the ongoing process(es) that ensures that change continues over time.
- Have staff, including leadership, that are reflective and representative of the communities we serve.
The work of the NCOE Community of Belonging is conducted by the following four workgroups. Staff interested in joining in this work can contact Julie McClure.
The BRIDGE Initiative:
- Provides small group training to staff focusing on the RIR protocol for engaging in conversations around sensitive issues.
- Members receive training with Nancy Dome around Compassionate Dialogue (TM).
Develops recommendations for, and implementation of new e-learning modules. - In response to surveys, wants to support having conversations about policies, practices, and procedures and related topics of interest.
Student Engagement Initiative:
- Connecting student projects with each cultural recognition theme.
- Expanding to include more student groups, including Early Childhood.
- Creating a format for student art exhibitions at both offices.
Excelling Through Evaluation Initiative:
- Develops and finalizes the annual staff survey.
- Manages the process for staff distribution, encourages responsiveness, and survey analysis.
- Provides participating staff an opportunity to engage in the survey process and share their perspectives.
Investing in People Initiative:
- Interest in focusing on investing in people and building a pipeline for representation in upper management.
- Will revamp objectives to better reflect the systems-change purpose of this work.
- Potential areas of consideration include: recruitment, interview process, staff onboarding, staff goal setting, review and key performance indicators.
- Reframing the conversation: demographic parity is an issue of fairness, not representation.
NCOE Ambassadors Program:
The Ambassadors Program engages all staff in courageous conversations to foster learning and growth and to build a culture of equity. These Ambassadors, volunteers drawn from NCOE managers, received training on cultural equity to prepare them to co-facilitate these thoughtful, small group conversations.
NCOE Cultural Recognition Calendar 26-27
All Staff Events will be from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. unless noted.
Month |
Inclusion Themes |
Staff Events
|
|---|---|---|
| August | U.S. 250th Anniversary, CA 175th Anniversary |
|
| September | Hispanic Heritage | |
| October | Hispanic Heritage | 10/1/26 Hispanic Heritage Celebration |
| November | Native American History | |
| December | Human Rights | |
| January | Kindness | 1/26/27 Great Kindness Challenge, Kindness Food Drive |
| February | Black History | 2/24/27 Black History Month Student Oratorical Contest (5:00 pm – 7:00 pm) |
| March | Disabilities Awareness, Women’s History |
|
| April | Arab American Heritage, Neurodiversity Acceptance |
4/22/27 Neurodiversity Acceptance Celebration |
| May | Asian/Pacific American Heritage, Jewish American Heritage, Mental Health Awareness | 5/13/27 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Celebration |
| June | LGBTQIA+ Pride, Juneteenth |
6/1/27 LGBTQIA+ Pride Flag Raising (3:00 pm – 3:30 pm) 6/3/27 LGBTQIA+ Pride Celebration (12:00 pm – 1:30 pm) 6/17/27 Juneteenth Celebration (12:00 pm – 1:30 pm) |
Cultural Recognition at NCOE
Cultural recognition is coordinated by NCOE’s Community of Belonging and encourages an inclusive workplace that celebrates children, families, and staff of NCOE.
All links open to external sites in a new window.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Black History Month Celebration
NCOE hosts a county-wide Oratorical Contest to give students the opportunity to perform content from original works tied to a yearly national theme, Student art is displayed in public spaces such as the Napa Valley Black History Month Celebration and the Napa County Public Library. Staff education about the impact of Black people on American history and culture is offered through special presentations featuring authors and community leaders.
2024 Oratorical Contest Video
2024 Oratorical Contest Photos
February 8 2024, “African American Student Achievement in Education, a conversation with Dr. Charles Cole III and Dr. Eric Handy” Video
Latino Americans
February 23, 2023 “Hidden History of Napa Valley Presentation with Author Alex Brown” Video
Disabilities Awareness Month
Information and resources are shared with staff and community throughout the month. A special presentation includes a review of NCOE’s work supporting students with disabilities and their families, as well as highlights for the work of the Community Action Advisory Committee through the Special Education Local Plan Area. The CAC is a parent-run collaboration that supports Special Education students throughout Napa County.
Disabilities Awareness Month Resources
“Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally“, Emily Ladau.
“I’m Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much“, Stella Young.
“Avoiding Ableist Language“, Augsburg University.
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration
Students are educated about Asian/Pacific American Heritage through collaborative art projects such as a paper plates and streamers dragon. Staff and community celebration includes student performers and speakers, traditional foods and fun snacks, and the sharing of personal stories.
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Resources
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
AAPI Heritage Month K-12 Resources
Anti-Racism Resources for the AAPI Community
Pride Month
The raising of the Pride flag at both Camille Creek Community School and the NCOE central office kicks off LGBTQIA+ recognition. The Napa County Board of Education makes an annual proclamation. Student education includes age-appropriate art projects and curriculum. Staff celebrate with a rainbow-inspired potluck, education games and biodegradable confetti fun.
Pride Month Resources
“June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month“, youth.gov.
“LGBTQ+ Voices: Learning from Lived Experiences“, McKinsey Quarterly.
“It Gets Better Project“, It Gets Better Project.
“Understanding the context and history behind LGBTQ+“, Fast Company.
“LGBTQ Best Practices: Training and Technical Assistance“, LGBTQ Connection.
“Downloadable Visual Cues of Inclusion“, Emily Hope Parker, M.A..
Juneteenth Celebration
Staff honor the history of Juneteenth with a traditional celebration featuring food provided by a local black-owned business, the sharing of information, resources and personal stories, and lively rounds of game playing. Juneteenth is a day of celebration for African Americans and NCOE creates a space to share in this joyful acknowledgement of the end of slavery.
Juneteenth Resources
“Celebrate Juneteenth: Historical and Contemporary Resources“, University of California, Davis, Library.
“What is Juneteenth?“, ABC7 News Bay Area.
Resolution Proclaiming LGBTQ+ Pride Month June 2021 Napa County Board of Education
Tribal Consultation Toolkit CA Department of Education
Partner Equity Statement re: Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative U.S. Department of Health & Human Services