Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)

The NEC Diversity Task Force was created in September 2018 in response to state and national issues around educational equity and achievement gaps for students with special needs, English Language Learners, and students from specific racial and cultural groups. In September 2021 we became the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEIB) Committee.

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“Exploring Diversity at NEC” Staff Discussion

The mission of the DEIB Committee is to advise and assist administration with making ongoing progress towards three goals:

NEC will have a diverse workforce, reflective of students and families in our region, in which all employees feel valued, appreciated and free from discrimination.
All students at NEC will feel fully included and have equal opportunities to thrive. This includes but is not limited to areas such as social inclusion, academic achievement, student discipline, enrollment, and discharge policies.
All families at NEC will feel included in and fully able to access the school community.

Goals of DEIB Committee

Meet regularly to have brave conversations about issues related to diversity, equity, and cultural responsiveness, and to engage in shared learning about these issues in order to become peer leaders.
Advise administration about goals and Professional Development initiatives/activities and assist administration in planning and implementing these activities.

Why did we add the B in Belonging this year?

Schools are major communities for students.
Students must feel safe and connected to adults and peers to have a sense of belonging.
Belonging is a fundamental human need that all people are driven to safety.

A 2021 literature review defines belonging as a subjective feeling of deep connection with social groups, physical places and individual/collective experiences (Allen et al 2021).

Feeling that one is an integral part of their surrounding systems, including family, friends, school, work, communities, cultural groups, physical places and experiences.

Belonging at work is an important part of our sense of well-being because of the amount of time we spend with each other each day.

For students with cognitive disabilities, here is a resource for belonging.

Thank you!!

DEIB Committee November 1, 2024

DEIB Committee Newsletters

DESE and M.A.S.S.

NEC’s work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is guided by the work of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (M.A.S.S.). More information is available at:

For more information or to learn more about how you can become involved in the NEC DEIB committee please contact:

Alison Dudley- adudley@nsedu.org

or

Ana Lanzilli- alanzilli@nsedu.org

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The mission of the DEIB Committee is to advise and assist administration with making ongoing progress towards three goals:

NEC will have a diverse workforce, reflective of students and families in our region, in which all employees feel valued, appreciated and free from discrimination.

All students at NEC will feel fully included and have equal opportunities to thrive. This includes but is not limited to areas such as social inclusion, academic achievement, student discipline, enrollment, and discharge policies.

All families at NEC will feel included in and fully able to access the school community.

Goals of DEIB Committee

Meet regularly to have brave conversations about issues related to diversity, equity, and cultural responsiveness, and to engage in shared learning about these issues in order to become peer leaders.

Advise administration about goals and Professional Development initiatives/activities and assist administration in planning and implementing these activities.