EASTHAMPTON — As students at Easthampton High School started class on Sept. 5, the first day of school, Julie Anne Levin, the district’s curriculum director, took the role of a new position at the school, serving as the interim diversity and inclusion officer.
Levin said she introduced herself to students at an all-school meeting and visited classrooms. She said she meets with the principal and vice principal every day, talking about policies and procedures.
The new position comes after a civil rights investigation by the state attorney general’s office which found discipline disparities at the high school and concerns with how the administration handled bias-related incidents.
The investigation closed with a memorandum of agreement in which the district agreed to a number of requirements, including the appointment of a diversity and inclusion officer.
“I’m really excited to be part of this work,” Levin said about moving forward.
According to the agreement, the diversity and inclusion officer is responsible for:
Monitoring all complaints of bullying and harassment based on protected characteristics, as well as any other incidents involving bias indicators.
Advocating on behalf of the students who make such complaints.
Fostering an environment of inclusion and respect at EHS, including by making recommendations on improving racial climate at the school.
Superintendent Nancy Follansbee wrote in a statement that the district did not receive the agreement until late August. Follansbee said she asked Levin to serve as interim officer, giving the district time to post the position and appoint a qualified candidate.
“Ms. Levin is highly qualified to take on this position,” Follansbee wrote. “She has a strong background in supporting diversity and inclusion through teaching and learning.”
Levin has over 10 years of teaching experience at middle and high schools in New York and Chicago. She spent four years teaching humanities at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School.
Prior to being hired as the curriculum director for Easthampton Public Schools last year, she worked as the curriculum coordinator for the Pioneer Valley Regional School District.
Recently, Levin studied to be a Leading Educational Access Project trainer, a program that focuses on teaching with poverty, race and culture in mind. She will be training teachers this school year on what she learned.
“It’s really important that we are paying attention to the vulnerable populations,” she said.
At the Sept. 12 School Committee meeting, Follansbee said that the position has been posted and they are looking for someone in the Easthampton school district.
When a permanent diversity officer is hired, Levin will continue to work with the officer in a supervisory and supportive role, Follansbee said, “to ensure our high school is a safe and welcoming environment for all.”
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.