Our School Chapters

FORJ school chapters unify parents, caregivers, students, educators and administrators who are committed to learning and helping our children learn to be actively antiracist and stand up for racial justice. There are chapters in each of the 22 schools led by parent leaders, who work with their FORJ planning teams to create educational antiracist events and share best practices between schools. They organize antiracist workshops, book groups, panels, discussions, Dynamic Diversity Nights, cultural celebrations, and learning opportunities with guest speakers, facilitators and performers.

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Building School Connections

FORJ chapters organize events to build inclusion and develop ties within their school communities by establishing affinity groups, interactive workshops, and joint events between PTOs and Creative Arts and Sciences Committees. Parents, caregivers and children who participate in these events report feeling more connected to each other and to their schools.

 

Building a strong sense of belonging is particularly important for Boston resident students attending Newton schools through METCO, Inc. and Newton is the largest participating school district in the program. FORJ chapters actively create partnerships between Boston and Newton resident families by planning Boston-Newton social and educational outings, planning events in Boston, creating buddy systems, and hosting Boston students before evening school events. 

 

FORJ Chapters & School Staff

FORJ chapters work to support, compliment and enhance the efforts of school teams to advance systemwide antiracism, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Teachers who participate in FORJ chapters help the group design thoughtful experiences that work well with school calendars, themes, and priorities. 

 

Expanding School Resources

FORJ chapters increase the diversity of books and media at their schools, create welcoming spaces the reflect diverse backgrounds and identities, and facilitate creative projects and celebrations.