OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Superintendent Dr. Katie Ralston credited the District’s Administration Team for its work on Equity Action Plans to implement throughout the District.

SILVER CREEK — The emphasis on representation for all members of the Silver Creek Central School District has increased dramatically in the past year. That work is beginning to come together into plans for improvements, as four administrators presented their goals for the District and areas of “taking pride” to the Board of Education for more than 40 minutes of a recent meeting.

Administrators Megan Cook, Heather Krystofiak, Bethany Brown, and Kyle Yelich each presented a specific Action Plan for the District to implement at their respective building.

Cook, the District’s Director of Special Education, specifically discussed displays of student achievements both in school and outside of school, past and present, such as extracurricular activities and local achievements, to form a connection with the community as a whole.

“(We can) celebrate all of those pieces that aren’t school, but are so important to what our kids are doing. If we celebrate them here and they can see themselves here, they will want to be here,” Cook said.

Yelich, the High School Principal, noted that his building, like other buildings in the District, was lacking in public displays of student work and student culture. Yelich stated, “That has to be our focus so that our students feel safe, loved, welcomed, and affirmed, so that the learning spaces as well as the public spaces truly feel representative of who our students are, where they come from, and why they are here.”

Yelich spoke with students to ask what ideal classroom spaces in the District would look like and how they could be better represented in the District.

“As we work to enhance our spaces that reflect who our students are and why they are here, this can become a two-way road where communication is open, students have their voice and choice, and the staff can get pinpointed feedback on what the classroom spaces are and what they mean to students,” Yelich said. “… That was a very profound conversation.”

As stated in the High School Action Plan, “The goal of Silver Creek High School is to create safe, equitable, inclusive and engaging educational environments to reflect all members of our learning community.” The High School plan also states its goal to take pride in is to make “a positive impact that substantiates true educational change and excellence for all stakeholders in our learning environments and public spaces.”

Board of Education President Martha Howard later offered thanks to the administrators and members of District committees for their recent efforts.

Superintendent Dr. Katie Ralston later added, “Thank you to the admin team, the work on the Equity Action Plans is not easy work. There is a lot that goes into that, and a lot of challenging your own thinking and your own vision of everything.”

Ralston noted a positive relationship with Lisa Walker, an expert on Equity, Inclusivity and Diversity from Erie 2 BOCES, who helped the District implement strategies to address inequities throughout the school for students and the staff. Ralston said the District hopes to continue working with Walker moving forward to continue its emphasis on student representation and equity throughout the District.