University Hill Elementary School and School of Education Partnership for Equity

Program Contact

Andrea Dyrness

Associate Professor, Educational Foundations Policy and Program

andrea.dyrness@colorado.edu

303.492.5622

The University Hill Elementary-CU Boulder Partnership aims to support equity by building spaces for critical inquiry and dialogue that center the needs, identities, and experiences of bilingual, transnational and minoritized students. The partnership brings together students and faculty from CU Boulder’s School of Education and Ethnic Studies Department with teachers, students, and parents at University Hill Elementary (Uni Hill), a Title I dual language school directly across the street from the university.

At the heart of the partnership is a unique cultural mentoring program that brings together underrepresented students at CU Boulder who are Education and Ethnic Studies majors with predominantly Latinx 5th graders at Uni Hill. Through a weekly after-school program led by the CU Boulder students, we aim to:

  1. Build community among Uni Hill students and underrepresented students at CU Boulder and promote a sense of belonging to CU Boulder and the Boulder community
  2. Reflect on and strengthen cultural identity
  3. Explore issues of common concern in our communities and cultural resources for education, or community cultural wealth.

It is our hope that through this new community, both groups of students will see their identities and experiences as resources for their education – Uni Hill students will begin to see higher education as both possible and meaningful for them and their communities, while CU Boulder students will see community engagement as a way to enhance their own educational experience. Alongside the cultural mentoring program, CU Boulder education researchers who specialize in dual language bilingual education will partner with Uni Hill  fifth grade teachers and offer professional development for the entire faculty. We aim to support teachers to leverage their students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds as resources for teaching and learning in dual language bilingual classrooms.

  • University Hill Elementary School and School of Education Partnership for Equity Mentoring Program

    Additional Info

    Weekly after school Cultural Mentoring program for University Hill 5th grade students and CU Boulder students of color.


    Location

    on campus

    Dates

    Ongoing

    Public or Private

    Private Program (by request only or for a specific audience or group)

    Program Fee

    No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

  • University Hill Elementary School and School of Education Partnership for Equity Professional Development

    Additional Info

    Researcher-developed professional development experiences for all University Hill teachers, and research/practitioner partnerships for a few teachers.


    Location

    in colorado

    Boulder

    Dates

    Ongoing

    Public or Private

    Private Program (by request only or for a specific audience or group)

    Program Fee

    No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

Sponsoring Units

  • College of Arts & Sciences

  • Department of Ethnic Studies
  • School of Education

  • Program in Education Foundations, Policy and Practice

Program Partners

  • University Hill Elementary School

Audiences Served

  • Children & Youth (outside school)
  • Families
  • Historically Excluded/Marginalized/Non-dominant Group(s)
  • Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
  • Students - Elementary School
  • Teachers - Elementary School