Portico | Toolkit

Mature Black male teacher demonstrates the use of a measurement device to a group of three diverse physics students.

Establish Equitable Grading Practices Throughout Your School: School in Action – Samueli Academy

Equitable grading is one of the most inclusive practices a school can have in place. This Big Play requires time and intentional planning in order to …

Inflexion June 3, 2021

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A white female teacher listens to a white female high school student, both are smiling and engaged.

Conduct a Student Experience Story Guide With Your Students: Learn What Students Want from Their School Experience

The below activity provides a space for students to share their stories without interruption and preconceived notions of what teachers are "looking fo…

Inflexion May 31, 2021

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Diverse group of parents and teachers smiling and talking informally.

Practice Anti-Bias Education Through Family & Community Engagement: Support Teacher-Family Relationships Built on Respect

Strong communication between school staff and families is important in any school, and has special relevance for schools committed to anti-bias educat…

Inflexion May 25, 2021

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Latinx female teacher listening to a diverse group of high school students as they sit in a circle and share ideas.

Conduct Design Camp: Provide a Platform for Student Involvement with School Decisions

The Design Camp project is an effort to look more deeply at the day-to-day experiences of students.

Inflexion March 27, 2021

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Black female teacher listening to a diverse group of high school students as they sit in a circle and share ideas.

Conduct Empathy Interviews: Elevating Student Voices, So You Can Understand and Support Them

Empathy Interviews provide an opportunity to really understand a student, or group of students, by diving deeper than the surface-level question, "How…

Inflexion March 21, 2021

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Three diverse professional woman look at a poster paper with one pointing at it.

Model SEL for Students: Five Social and Emotional Competencies Gallery Walk

Modeling SEL offers students positive examples of how to navigate stress and frustration and maintain healthy relationships while simultaneously influ…

Inflexion March 9, 2021

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Diverse group of high school students sits in a circle talking and smiling.

Incorporate SEL into Routines & Rituals: Optimistic Closures to Class and Meetings

Educators and OST providers understand and believe in the power of SEL, but often seek clarity about how to demonstrate and observe SEL in action. Th…

Inflexion March 3, 2021

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Elementary teacher and students sit in a circle smiling and laughing.

Incorporate SEL in the Classroom: Engaging Strategies for Brain Breaks and Transitions

Educators and OST providers understand and believe in the power of SEL, but often seek clarity about how to demonstrate and observe SEL in action. Th…

Inflexion March 3, 2021

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Diverse group of elementary students sit in a circle, smiling and waving their hands in the air.

Incorporate SEL into Routines & Rituals: Open Class and Meetings With a Welcoming Inclusion Activity

Educators and OST providers understand and believe in the power of SEL, but often seek clarity about how to demonstrate and observe SEL in action. Th…

Inflexion March 3, 2021

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Black female teacher with short haircut and green cardigan laughs with a diverse group of elementary students.

Fostering Collaborative & Inclusive Learning Spaces: Incorporate SEL Practices Into Activities

Educators and OST providers understand and believe in the power of SEL, but often seek clarity about how to demonstrate and observe SEL in action. Th…

Inflexion February 28, 2021

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Diverse team of professionals stand around a table discussing ideas.

5 Easy Swaps: Engage in Effective Anti-Bias Training

Research suggests stand-alone anti-bias training may not change long-term behavior. For leaders working to make their schools more equitable, studies …

Inflexion February 25, 2021

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Group of four diverse teachers sit in a circle around a table and discuss ideas.

The 5 Whys Technique: Discover the Root of a Problem for Kaizen

Recurrent problems are often symptoms of deeper issues. Learn the 5 Whys technique to get to the root cause of a problem.

Inflexion February 22, 2021

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Group of five diverse casual professionals sit in a circle and discuss ideas while smiling.

Create Effective Leadership Practices: Leadership Team Rating & Reflection Activity

An activity for your leadership team to reflect on your most effective leadership practices.

Inflexion February 20, 2021

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Black teacher laughing with a diverse group of four elementary school students.

Build Structures For Healthy Relationships – Leadership Team Activity: Assess How Well School Structures Support Healthy Relationships

An activity for your leadership team to reflect on key structures that have been used to build opportunities for students to be known in your school.

Inflexion February 20, 2021

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Diverse group of four high school students working and laughing with each other.

Seven Ways to Help High Schoolers Find Purpose: Support Every Student to Find Their Purpose

This activity will help you ensure you have support for every student to find their purpose. Identify the three interrelated factors essential to fost…

Inflexion February 19, 2021

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A Black male elementary student smiles while holding a green apple.

Assess Your School’s Expansive Opportunities: Ensure Opportunities are Supporting Your Underserved Students

This activity will help your team examine what additional supports and opportunities are at your school and if they are meeting the needs of your stud…

Inflexion February 19, 2021

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Black female teacher holds a globe and smiles as a diverse group of elementary students gather round engaged.

Assess Your Inclusive Practices: Bring Culturally Responsive Practices Into The Daily Routine

This activity will help your leadership team assess and identify how inclusive practices, supports, and structures, such as co-teaching and teaming, a…

Inflexion February 15, 2021

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Two elementary students wear safety goggles as they compete a science activity using flasks filled with blue liquid.

Rate How Student-Centered Your Learning Environment Is: Implement Practices That Are Purposeful & Valuable to Students

This activity will assist your team in developing a shared understanding of what it means to transform the student experience (at the instructional le…

Inflexion February 15, 2021

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Four smiling Black high school students outside shoulder to shoulder with a female in the center as the main focus.

Transform the Student Experience Through Listening: Reflect on How Your Students are Being Heard

This activity is designed to reflect on how you are engaging students to share their experiences, and to garner what they need from school. This is an…

Inflexion February 15, 2021

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Three diverse professional women sit at a table and discuss ideas.

Make Sure All Students Have What They Need to Learn: Reflect on Purposeful Learning in Your School

In this activity your team will discuss what purposeful learning means to you (teachers, staff and leaders) in your school, and begin to develop a set…

Inflexion February 11, 2021

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Female teacher and diverse group of students closely examine a robotics component in an engineering class.

Purposeful Learning and Vision for Readiness: Align Instruction to Purposeful Learning

This activity will help you assess how much purposeful learning is happening in your school. By providing an opportunity to reflect on the bright spot…

Inflexion February 11, 2021

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Diverse group of people (different ages, races, genders, etc.) sit in a circle, smiling, and sharing ideas.

Envision the Future of Your School’s Identity: Develop a Shared Understanding of Your School’s Identity

This activity is designed for the entire school community and will be conducted with staff, leadership teams, families, and students. This is an oppor…

Inflexion February 11, 2021

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Group of high school students all dressed in orange tee-shirts and orange face paint cheering their team while multi-colored confetti falls around them.

Discover Your School’s Identity: Rate Your School’s Identity With Your School Leadership Team & Teachers

An activity designed to develop a shared understanding of a school's identity and explore specific values and beliefs that are necessary to implement …

Inflexion February 11, 2021

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Four diverse high school students smiling and walking side by side as a group with a college building behind them.

Develop Life Readiness Pathways: Prepare and Empower Students for Their Futures

Develop schoolwide Life Readiness pathways so students feel prepared and empowered for their next steps. Reflections and activities from all of these …

Inflexion February 11, 2021

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Diverse group of high school students sit in a circle in chairs discussing ideas.

Empower Student Leaders: A Student Activity

This activity will be conducted with your students to allow them an opportunity to think about how they feel empowered at school, and what things (if …

Inflexion February 10, 2021

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