DEI Instructional Coach Ready to Start a New Year
Burlington Public Schools has hired an instructional coach to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Burlington High School, and her name will be familiar to many. Former English Department Chair, Shannon Janovitz, will be pioneering this new role, which focuses on looking at education at the high school "through an equity lens."
Ms. Janovitz was chosen by district administration after a committee of district and school administrators, parents, and students interviewed several candidates both internal and external to the district this spring. "Shannon has the ability to connect with all types of folks," said Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Lisa Chen, "helping them to understand the importance of ensuring that all students receive the best quality of education and opportunities."
A Long Career of Putting Students First
Ms. Janovitz comes to the role with 25 years of experience in the classroom and in teacher-leadership roles, much of that at BHS. She said she has a passion for helping kids find meaning at school. She enjoys nurturing their growing self- and social awareness, civic engagement, and critical consciousness and, while she will miss being in the classroom, she's excited about the opportunity "to do the work behind the scenes that we haven't had a lot of time for" as a district.
As the DEI Instructional Coach, it's important to Janovitz to ensure all kids see themselves represented throughout their school experience and can access rigorous education opportunities. Equally important to her is that all staff members assume collective responsibility for all students’ growth.
Targeted Collaboration, Curriculum Alignment, Culture of Belonging to be Prioritized
As the year begins, Janovitz has started out learning the priorities, goals, and concerns of teacher leadership around equity and belonging at the high school—and those of students and families. The work to realign the math and English language arts curricula across the district, she said, has highlighted the need for greater understanding of what constitutes effective instruction. Teachers also need more time, collaboration, and support in their classrooms so they can engage in the work and learn from one another.
An important charge of this role will be to enhance equity and build a stronger culture of belonging for all. Janovitz believes the best way to do this is to ensure the school's systems, events, and programming feel connected, meaningful, and aligned with the school's core values of empathy, responsibility, respect, and independence. Additionally, she'd like to see the affinity group experience refined so the belonging students find in these identity-focused communities can extend into the rest of their school day.
One way to measure the effectiveness of this work over time is to conduct culture walks, where administrators look at interactions among and between students and staff and hone in on the trends observed. Janovitz said she thrives on building authentic relationships and creating connected learning communities, adding, "I don’t feel we can do a great job of instructing students if they don’t feel welcome and safe." She went on to say the same about curriculum and instruction, emphasizing the need for students to feel connected, find meaning, and feel the support of their teachers in developing the skills they'll need to be successful not only in class but also out in the world.
Transparency Will be Key for Staff, Families
The district has been criticized in the past for poor communication with families, and Janovitz plans to "be present and visible where parents already are," whether at school events or at meetings of the Special Education or English Learner Parent Advisory Councils (SEPAC and ELPAC). Parents are an important part of this process, she said, and she wants to hear from them what they'd like to see prioritized.
As for staff, Ms. Janovitz is confident they'll be on board with ensuring everyone in the building feels welcome and valued. "It's all about valuing what [the teachers] are already doing, reinforcing the significance of this work, and reminding them that we all need help" with certain things, she said.
A Rocky History, a Hopeful Future
This role has evolved over the last four years, beginning with a lengthy discussion at Town Meeting to approve funding for a Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. After funding was allocated, a thorough job description was created by a committee of teachers, administrators, parents, and community members and based on descriptions for similar roles in neighboring towns. The hire was made in the summer of 2021, and Mr. Ray Porch began working with the district in the 2021-22 school year. He left after a single year, and for two years the position remained unfilled.
When questioned, Superintendent Eric Conti stated he was focused on finding an Assistant Superintendent during the 2022-23 school year. Once Dr. Lisa Chen was hired in the summer of 2023, the focus shifted to curriculum review. Using information gathered during the curriculum review and the recommendations from the Equity Needs Assessment that was performed in the spring of 2023, the district shifted to a school-based model, choosing to focus first on an instructional coach at the high school.
Janovitz acknowledges the cognitive dissonance of being a white woman in a role whose charge is, in part, to help the district to support students of color. She also recognizes that she comes from inside the district, though she sees this as an asset rather than a liability. "Knowing the community, students, strengths & needs is an asset to get us moving," she said. She followed up that she's worked with students and staff for years to create a greater culture of belonging.
"I feel good about what the district is trying to do," she said, and suggested that school-based coaches focusing on equity and belonging could serve as an infrastructure if a district-level administrator eventually does return to the district.
Still, she acknowledged how important it is that the school's staff reflect the diversity of the students. She highlighted the work the district has done to recruit and better support a more diverse body of staff, saying she will be looking for opportunities to ensure students have access to resources and people they feel connected with at the high school.
Janovitz views this role as a tremendous opportunity for the district. "Being dedicated and passionate doesn't magically make things happen," she said, "but I will do all I can to make sure students feel safe, welcome, and ready to learn."
