Category: Inspiring Stories

  • Highlighting Black Leaders in Education Equity

    As we wrap up Black History Month for this year, we are highlighting the transformative work of three Black consultants in the education equity space who inspire us by creating belonging through their work – Matthew Reynolds, Kirsten Harris-Tally, and Teddy McGlynn-Wright. Matthew Reynolds (they/he/we), is a practitioner of equity and healing, author, facilitator, and…

  • Coming Together to Explore Ways to Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline

    On Sunday, October 29, an impactful online convening took place to discuss collaborating to disrupt something that has been adversely afflicting our communities for far too long: the school-to-prison pipeline. BELONG Partners and community organizations including the Multifaith Coalition for Restorative Justice, Center for Children and Youth Justice, The Breakfast Group, The Black Prisoners Caucus…

  • Celebrating Five Years of More Equitable, Inclusive, and Student-Driven Experiences in Schools

    On a beautiful August morning in Renton, WA, Dimmitt Middle School filled with parents, teachers, administrators, community members – and, most importantly, students – all eager to join in on a community celebration to recognize the accomplishments of the Designing Our Own Learning (DOOL) summer program participants. DOOL is a BELONG Partners program, now in…

  • Fostering community and collaboration between new & seasoned educators 

    The BELONG Partners District Model is a comprehensive approach to school transformation that focuses on building capacity and sustainability within a school district. Through this train-the-trainer model, our experienced facilitators work closely with regional coaches hired by a district to implement the BELONG Partners approach in their schools. One of our original District Model partners…

  • BELONG Partners District Model Schools Hold 2nd Annual Convening in Medford, Oregon

    The BELONG Partners Model currently includes 11 schools from across 4 counties and 5 school districts in southern Oregon. This spring we co-hosted our second annual convening of twenty-five educators, representing our eight Whole School Partner schools in Medford, Oregon. They came together to collaboratively reflect on their practice, celebrate their accomplishments, and initiate plans…

  • Growing Through the Changes

    Just like in nature, community groups, school systems, and school communities grow in response to the environments around them. Sometimes schools are able to forecast changing needs and intentionally create new systems, and sometimes the environment forces change. School systems and communities have grown and changed based on new research, the experience of educators, and…

  • Our Work in Action

    Our next Demonstration School Tour will be Feb 13, 2024. Join us at one of our amazing partner schools to meet the educators and hear directly from students! More information here or email us at hello@belongpartners.org.

  • Campbell Hill Classified Staff use Data and SEL Strategies to Help with Transitions and Recess

    Campbell Hill Classified Staff use Data and SEL Strategies to Help with Transitions and Recess

    The classified staff of Campbell Hill Elementary, in Renton, WA, works hard every day to be sure that students know they are safe, belong, and matter in the unstructured spaces like the school playground and cafeteria. This team of educators meet monthly to align their practice, continue their learning about social emotional learning and trauma-responsive…

  • School Discipline Data Points to the Need for Self-Regulation Skills

    School Discipline Data Points to the Need for Self-Regulation Skills

    Terminal Park Elementary School in Auburn, WA is one of our Whole School partners. They have an active Data Team made up of staff who are leading the implementation of Sound Discipline work at their school. Data Teams in our partner schools gather and analyze discipline data – which is documentation of when a student…

  • DOOL Youth Inspire Educators to Share Power and Create Equitable Learning Environments

    DOOL Youth Inspire Educators to Share Power and Create Equitable Learning Environments

    On October 8th a diverse crowd of educators filed into the Laser Dome at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center. However, none of them were there to see a laser show! They had all come to experience an immersive workshop designed and facilitated by youth from Sound Discipline’s DOOL program. DOOL (Designing Our Own Learning) is in its…