Commissioner’s Memo for Safe and Supportive Schools (2016)

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906 Telephone: (781) 338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370 MEMORANDUM To: From: Date: Subject: Superintendents; Charter School Leaders; Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education November 28, 2016 The Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students To assist you with your efforts to create safe and supportive school environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth (Commission)* offer the following opportunities and information: 1. Training and Technical Assistance The Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students, a joint initiative of DESE and the Commission, can provide your district with training and technical assistance on issues pertaining to building safe and supportive environments for LGBTQ students; meeting the needs of transgender and gendernonconforming students; the implementation of related suicide, violence, and bullying prevention efforts; and the reduction of health disparities for LGBTQ students. Please send the name and contact information of your liaison(s), GSA advisor(s), and any requests for training or technical assistance to [email protected] or contact the Safe Schools Program Coordinator at 781-338-6319. 2. The Massachusetts Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Leadership Council Modeled on the Student Advisory Council to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Massachusetts GSA Leadership Council provides networking and skill-building opportunities for GSA student leaders and advisors to promote student leadership and improve school climate. The GSA Leadership Council consists of a state council and regional councils. The State GSA Council consists of those students who attended the GSA Leadership Summit in August at UMASS Amherst. State and regional council meetings take place bimonthly from 9AM to 1PM. We invite you to register a team of up to four students and two adult advisors to join other GSA student leaders and advisors at the regional council meetings. Because the state and regional council meetings occur during school time, we ask that you support student and advisor attendance with appropriate arrangements for excused absences. On the next page you will find a list of meeting dates and locations. The following link contains additional information:http://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/lgbtq/GSALcouncil.html 3. Information on Federal and State Laws and Policies regarding LGBTQ Students Federal and state laws exist to ensure that LGBTQ students have access to the education they need to thrive, including: MA Student Anti-discrimination Law, Chapter 76, Section 5; MA Anti-bullying Law, * The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth is established by law as an independent state agency to recommend and advocate to all branches of state government effective policies, programs and resources for LGBTQ youth to thrive. Section 71, Chapter 370, Chapter 86; An Act Relative to Gender Identity, Chapter 199 of the Acts of 2011; and Title IX. The following link contains information about federal and state laws and policies regarding LGBTQ students, including information about the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law, the Regulations for the Student Anti-discrimination Law, the Guidance on Notifying Parents When a Student Has Been Bullied Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity/Expression, the Guidance on Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity, and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights’ Dear Colleague Letter on Transgender Students: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/lgbtq/ Last year, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved the Principles for Ensuring Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for LGBTQ Students. These Principles, aligned with applicable policies as well as current law and regulations, provide a set of best practices to ensure a safe and supportive climate for LGBTQ students. Thank you for your continued commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students. We are proud that Massachusetts is a leader in this regard and that there have been significant improvements in the past 25 years. We look forward to continuing this important work with you. Massachusetts GSA Leadership Council Meetings 2016-17 Statewide Leadership Council Greater Boston Southeast Massachusetts Location: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148 Location: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant St, Malden, MA 02148 Location: Southeastern Regional Vocational Tech High School 250 Foundry St, South Easton, MA 02375 ● ● ● ● ● Tuesday, September 20, 2016 Tuesday, November 22, 2016 Tuesday, January 17, 2017 Tuesday, March 28, 2017 Tuesday, May 9, 2017 ● ● ● ● ● Tuesday, October 4, 2016 Thursday, December 22, 2016 Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Tuesday, April 4, 2017 Tuesday, June 13, 2017 ● ● ● Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Tuesday, December 13, 2016 Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Location: Oliver Ames High School 100 Lothrop St, North Easton, MA 02356 ● ● Tuesday, April 11, 2017 Wednesday, June 7, 2017 Northeast Massachusetts Central Massachusetts Western Massachusetts Location: Greater Lowell Technical High School 250 Pawtucket Blvd, Tyngsboro, MA 01879
 Location: Grafton High School 24 Providence Rd, Grafton, MA 01519 Location: Westfield High School 177 Montgomery Rd, Westfield, MA 01085
 ● ● ● ● ● Thursday, October 13, 2016 Thursday, December 15, 2016 Thursday, February 16, 2016 Thursday, April 13, 2017 Thursday, June 1, 2017 ● ● ● Wednesday, October 5, 2016 Wednesday, December 14, 2016 Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Location: Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School 1050 Westminster St, Fitchburg, MA 01420 ● ● Wednesday, April 5, 2017 Friday, June 2, 2017 ● ● ● ● ● Thursday, October 6, 2016 Thursday, December 8, 2016 Thursday, February 2, 2017 Wednesday, April 12, 2017 Wednesday, May 31, 2017