Join All for All, World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, and Remake Learning for a day-long forum focused on the ways that teachers, staff, and administration can create more welcoming school environments for immigrant and refugee students.

English learners, most of whom are children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, are the fastest-growing student demographic in the US. However, within this population there are a wide range of ethnicities, home languages, and countries of origin represented, and schools struggle to keep up with the needs of such a diverse student demographic. Additionally, much of the national conversation around immigrant students focuses on the Latinx and Spanish-speaking population, while in Allegheny and neighboring counties there is a high population of immigrants and refugees from Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Therefore, there is a need to help educators get the tools and resources to support these students, as well as to learn about the specific needs of our region’s students from a local perspective.

At our Spring Educator Forum, All for All will convene local organizations and educational leaders to offer insight on the needs of our region’s immigrant and refugee students as well as open up a broader conversation around race and social justice in education. At the end of the day, participants will have a deeper understanding of our student populations, as well as practical tools for improving equity, acculturation, and access to educational resources.

Agenda

8am: Doors open and registration
8:30am: Light breakfast and coffee
9am: Keynote and welcome with Dr. Kari Kokka (University of Pittsburgh School of Education)
9:30—11:30am: Workshop with Ivonne Smith-Tapia (University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development)
11:20am—12pm: Lunch
12pm—2pm: Workshop with Welcoming America
2—2:45pm: Panel discussion with local ESL teachers
2:45—3pm: Break
3—4pm: Workshop with ARYSE, Global Minds, and multilingual students
4—4:30pm: Call to action and closing remarks
4:30pm: Adjourn

Catered lunch provided; vegetarian options available. For additional dietary concerns or requests, please email jenna@changeagency.world.