NAESP Forms National Taskforce on Race and Equity

Because it values diversity in our culture and prioritizes achieving education equity, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) formed its National Taskforce on Race and Equity. The taskforce will advise NAESP on issues related to racial equity in school communities, reveal schools’ common challenges and solutions, and support a peer-to-peer network of support for school leaders.

The taskforce will focus on collecting information related to racial equity in schools, elevating relevant research, and determining how best NAESP can provide support to principals around these issues. In conjunction and collaboration with NAESP staff, the taskforce will host events for school leaders to share valuable best practices and produce a preliminary progress report with possible initial recommendations to advance racial equity in the principal profession and in public schools.

Principals—who research says are among the most trusted professionals—are tasked with advancing culturally responsive teaching and learning, which includes not only welcoming diversity in the classroom but also teaching students how to navigate an increasingly racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse society.

NAESP firmly believes that principals, as a beacon of hope and inspiration for many community members, can play a central role in leading efforts to improve racial inequities. It is our sincere hope that this taskforce can elevate the dialogue around these issues and support principals in this work.

About the Taskforce

The taskforce members were selected based on their outstanding leadership to NAESP, in addition to their state, regional, and national colleagues.

Here are the members of the taskforce:

Chair – NAESP President-Elect Kimbrelle Barbosa Lewis, Cordova Elementary School, Cordova, TN

Zone 1 – Erica McLaughlin, Randolph Elementary School, Randolph, VT

Zone 2 – Nicole Moore-Samson, Indian Mills School, Shamong, NJ

Zone 3 – Edward Cosentino, Clemens Crossing Elementary, Howard County, MD

Zone 4 – Dr. Cynthia J. Hammond, Westside Elementary, Houston County Schools, Perry, GA

Zone 5 – Denise Gamble, Retired Principal, Chicago, IL

Zone 6 – Jeremy Patterson, Middle School at Parkside, Jackson, MI

Zone 7 – Nancy Antoine, Bridgewater Elementary School, Northfield, MN

Zone 8 – Annette Sanchez, Hampton-Moreno-Dugat Early Childhood Center, Beeville, TX

Zone 9 – Shaun Campbell, Burnt Bridge Creek/Burton Elementary, Vancouver, WA

At-Large – Thomas Payton, Roanoke Avenue Elementary School, Riverhead, NY

At-Large – Dr. Liza Caraballo-Suarez – Magnet School of Architecture, Engineering & Design, P.S. 120, Brooklyn, NY