Local educators, families, agencies, and businesses working together
The Power of Community
Schools should be places of opportunity for all children. We rethink systems and practices to give kids and teachers what they need: student-centered classroom environments; a high-quality, diverse teaching force; and access to rich materials that encourage deep learning and critical thinking.
Goals
Through community-based partnerships and decision-making, we aim to increase the number of K-12 teachers of color in Atlantic County, and to support and train educators of Atlantic County in developing culturally responsive practices. We envision a collaborative system of education that corrals the strengths of our community to develop the best schools in the country.
"Education is freedom."
-Paulo Friere
Tamar LaSure Owens
Atlantic County Educator
Tamar is a first-grade teacher in Atlantic County with expertise in implementation of the NJ Amistad curriculum. She serves in leadership roles in Phi Delta Kappa, NAACP, and the NJ Education Association. She is inspired by music, her fellow educators, and loud, bright colors that bling! Tamar's involvement with AC Ed Equity is rooted in her commitment to social justice and educational policy change.
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Our approach
We emphasize the needs and goals of the community rather than the voice of a few, and believe that real change only occurs in the presence of trusting relationships. Decisions are made as a collective, and are reached through collaborative problem solving and rich discussion. We value the wisdom of the community in deciding what is best for our children.
"You already possess everything necessary to become great.”
– Crow proverb
