Welcoming Schools permits us to envision our students as their best selves now and also who they will be 15 years from now, as they are leaders in academics but also in their communities. -Educator, Hiawatha Leadership Academy
Schools earning the Welcoming Schools Seal of Excellence will demonstrate and document the following benchmarks:
Policies/Regulations/Procedures are in place and enumerated to include all aspects of diversity, including actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
A Welcoming Schools Leadership Team is established or integrated into an existing committee. The Leadership Team will include a cross-section of the school community, including administration, classroom teachers, non-instructional staff and supportive family members. The team will meet monthly during the academic year.
School staff must complete the following Welcoming Schools modules:
Module delivery will take place over a period of 2-3 years and must be delivered by an authorized Welcoming Schools Facilitator.
For Elementary: Every student receives at least three Welcoming Schools lesson plans, including participation in the National Day of Reading.
For Secondary: Every student receives at least one Welcoming Schools lesson plan, including participation in the National Day of Reading.
School displays (bulletin boards, newsletters and artwork) portraying Welcoming Schools themes throughout the school.
Host at least one Family Engagement Event for families and community members sharing the Welcoming Schools approach through panels, movie nights, book readings and informational sessions.
Welcoming Schools book lists are publicly available to all students in the library/media center and classrooms.
A Welcoming Schools Climate Assessment will be used to gauge the success of developing a more inclusive school by working with the Welcoming Schools program.
Demonstration of larger community-based support.