OPEN Committee

mission

The vision of Ogden Parents Engaging Neighbors is to open doors, conversations, and perspectives in the learning community of Ogden Avenue Elementary School through the creation of experiences that value and celebrate multiple dimensions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Established in 2022, the mission of OPEN is to engage families and students in fulfilling the Culture and Relationship Goal of the District 102 Equity Policy:

We commit to engage families and the community by eliminating barriers to access, in particular those related to culture, socioeconomic status, and language. We commit to identifying equitable practices that will improve engagement with all families and diverse community stakeholders.

The District recognizes the critical need to develop strong ties between the school and local communities, the need to ensure a positive, safe, and inclusive learning environment for all students, and the need to create a mindset of continuous improvement throughout the District.

Participating parents and guardians meet monthly regarding new business, sub-committee progress, and learning opportunities related to the OPEN vision.

Interested in learning more about the OPEN Committee? Please email Sara Johnson.

Resources

Following are some of the resources that have fueled discussions at OPEN events and meetings:

• Nice White Parents Podcast

• TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• The 1619 Project Podcast (free) and Docu-Series (Hulu subscription required)

• Starting the Conversation: How to Support our LGBTQ+ Friends and

  Neighbors from Youth Outlook

• Indigenous People’s Day History (US News)

• How Chicago’s Historical Pullman Neighborhood Inspired ‘The Polar Express’ (Block Club Chicago)

• Stamped from the Beginning on Netflix (based on Ibram X Kendi’s National Book Award Winner)

• Origin Movie directed by Ava DuVernay (inspired by Isabel Wilkerson’s New York Times best-selling book “Caste”)

• Will & Harper Movie (available on Netflix)

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

In collaboration with Julie Pitelka, Ogden’s school librarian, and Ogden library assistants Kristen Kramer & Angela Layden, the OPEN Committee selected and purchased books from notable book awards for our school’s Library Resource Center (LRC). Below are recent selections. Be sure to tell your children to check them out in the library!

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Sara Johnson.