Racial Affinity Groups at Gordon
	Next in the 2011-2012 parent education series
	Wednesday, March 7th, 6:30pm A conversation led by Mariama Richards and Dr. Elizabeth Denevi of Georgetown Day School   Common Ground, Gordon’s racial affinity program for students, is in its sixth year. Why did Gordon start affinity groups? How do affinity groups work in schools? What does the research say about the role of race and racial identity in education? What are the concerns about racial affinity groups? What is the role of parents in supporting affinity groups?   Mariama Richards and Dr. Elizabeth Denevi, co-directors of diversity at Georgetown Day School in Washington, DC, will lead the discussion and facilitate conversation with a panel of teachers who lead Gordon’s Common Ground work.    They will be joined by Gordon faculty who lead Gordon’s weekly Lower School Common Ground and monthly Middle School Common Ground programs.   Mariama and Elizabeth have done extensive research on issues of identity and education. They have been at Georgetown Day School for eight years, and have consulted with Gordon faculty and the Board of Trustees over the past three years.   Read Identity, Affinity & Reality: Making the Case for Affinity Groups in Elementary School, by Gordon’s Julie Parsons and Kim Ridley, in the winter issue of Independent School Magazine and linked at www.gordonschool.org/commonground

	RSVP for March 7th
	Name Email Dinner   A light dinner will be provided to al (adults and children).    Child care   Gordon's after school staff will provide free supervised child care until 8:30pm. Open to children ages five and up Gordon students and siblings from other schools are invited Cheese pizza will be served Families that do not have students at Gordon cannot be accommodated   Please: 1. RSVP with this form as soon as possible 2. Provide names, ages and grades of the children you will be bringing 3. Bring children by 6pm  When you press "submit", a confirmation will be emailed to the address you provided above.