The Equity Department is proud to present the 2019 -2020 Transformational Leader for Equity (Administrator) Award for Equity Student Leadership to Michael Thompson, principal of Johnson Senior High School. Mr. Thompson accepted this award May 2019, and was chosen for:

• Establishing the JHS Govie Leader program that demands students to care and be responsible for each other, as epitomized in the mantra, “What hurts my brother or sister hurts me”
• Committing to racial equity through the advancement of Culturally Responsive Teaching at Johnson Senior High School
• Implementing Restorative Practices as a proactive prosocial commitment to maintaining a radically welcoming environment for young people and their families
• Advancing the belief of unconditional positive regard to action for his staff and families through the continuous practice of affective language
• Integrating Johnson’s Equity committee and Restorative Practices committee to work in tandem to disrupt inequities within Johnson
• Empowering staff to deepen their practice through the usage of Zaretta Hammond’s text, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain 
• Promoting Authentic Engagement, Rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students
• Teaching and presenting at local conferences that advance equity

Ten Johnson Senior High student leaders will join Michael Thompson at the Time to Thrive Conference in Washington, DC February 13th - 16th. Kurt RuKim and Jon Tufte are the building educators selected to represent Johnson at the conference as well. The Equity Department celebrates the learning and leading of the Johnson Senior High Team. 

(From left to right: Sarah Dinga, Emily Holder, and Megan Sichting)

The Transformational Leader for Equity (Department) Award has been awarded to Tiffany Weeks, former Program Supervisor for Discovery Club. Ms. Weeks is being honored for:

• Her commitment to the use of the Courageous Conversations About Race Protocol as a tool to engage in regular and ongoing conversations about race and their intersections
• Collaborating with multiple stakeholders in developing and providing equity professional development with an equity lens
• Engaging staff members as leaders in equity development 
• Expressing vulnerability as a learner leading equity work 
• Being committed to examining and eliminating structures, policies, and practices that may perpetuate systemic inequities

Ms. Weeks is no longer with SPPS. However, the new Program Supervisor for Discovery Club, Megan Sichting will be attending the Time to Thrive Conference. She will be joined by department allies Sarah Dinga and Emily Holder.  

The Equity Department commends this year’s student and adult leaders in their work toward transformational change.