What is STRIDE?
STRIDE stands for Scituate Together for Representation, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. We are a new group that is starting to pick up where the Unity Council left off. Unity Council was formed a number of years ago in response to some racially charged incidents at Scituate High School. They offered community-wide educational activities, which we hope to continue, ideally in partnership with Hingham and Cohasset groups to help spread the cost of movie screenings, speakers, etc. We are seeking input and volunteer time/talent to shape STRIDE into something that feels right for our community. We envision 3 overlapping subcommittees focused on 1. community outreach and education (offering speakers, book discussions, movie screenings, etc) 2. advocacy for inclusive and diverse texts, curriculum, and discussion for kids, and 3. support and advocacy when incidents happen in schools or the broader community.

What is the meeting's purpose and agenda?
The purpose of the meeting is to 1. hear from a small group of Scituate High School students who are eager to share their stories of their experiences in Scituate Public Schools and 2. gather ideas about STRIDE, beginning to outline some initial working groups and next steps.

6:30-7:00    Casual (optional) pizza dinner; arrive and make a name tag
7:00-7:15    Review agenda and norms; brief introductions around the room
7:15-7:45    Presentation from Scituate High School students
7:45-8:00    Questions and reactions to presentation
8:00-8:30    Next steps: What could/should STRIDE be?

Where and when will the meeting be held?
Tuesday, December 3rd at the Scituate Public Library in the community room on the ground floor
6:30-7pm Optional casual pizza dinner
7-8:30pm Program

Who can attend?
This meeting is open to anyone who wishes to support the mission of STRIDE: STRIDE works for the recognition, understanding, and appreciation of diversity for all in Scituate. It seeks to work in partnership with the community to enhance educational policies and programs that are inclusive and equitable for all.

Attendees should also agree to adhere to meeting norms, which will include:
-Assuming best intentions, recognizing that people in the room are not necessarily experts, but are trying their best to grapple with complicated issues
-Listening to and engaging with others respectfully
-Understanding that our collective action is best informed by a diversity of ideas and experiences coming together
-Agreeing to share air time by both stepping up (to talk/participate) and stepping back (to listen)

Additional questions?  Please reach out to Meg Matthews (megm1011@yahoo.com) AND Maria Fenwick Murthy (maria.c.fenwick@gmail.com). One of us will reply as soon as we can.