This week on Wednesday is an early release at 1:20 p.m. due to staff professional development; it is also an advisory day for OMS students. During advisory this month, seventh-grade students will be learning about and discussing ways to prevent and interrupt hate speech, while eighth-grade students will participate in a culture building pep rally in the wood gym organized by the OMS Student Council. On our next advisory day in February, these activities will switch grades so everyone has the chance for both.
The advisory unit that the seventh grade students are engaging in this week is a particularly important lesson as it seeks to help students understand what hate speech is, why it is not allowed, and what they can do if they hear or see it. We are starting with grade 7 students as they were not part of the work OMS engaged in last year, and our goal is for every educator, student and family to have access to shared language and information. This is ongoing work that requires us to have conversations frequently and repeatedly, both at home and at school.
