The Somerville community is invited to join Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley next week for a dialogue on ‘The State of Latino Education’ in Massachusetts. The Somerville event is the third in a series of town hall meetings being hosted by Commissioner Riley and Latinos for Education, Amplify Latinx, and Greater Boston Latino Network, and will be held at the East Somerville Community School (ESCS) auditorium, 50 Cross St., on Wednesday, October 10, from 6:30-8:30pm.

 Commissioner Riley stepped into his current role as Massachusetts’ 24^th commissioner of elementary and secondary education in April 2018 and has a breadth of experience serving in both urban and suburban districts. As commissioner for elementary and secondary education, he is responsible for guiding decisions about education that impact the students and families of Massachusetts. Wednesday’s forum at the ESCS is the final in a 3-part series of town hall conversations that the Commissioner has held throughout the Boston area. The series kicked off in Boston on October 1st, and a second such event was held in Holyoke on October 3rd. The goal of these town hall meetings is to ensure that education policies and practices in Massachusetts are well-informed by the voices and leadership of the Latino community. Somerville Public School’s Latino student population is just over 40 percent and that of East Somerville Community School is nearly 72 percent (DESE, 2017).

 “As we have often stated, our diversity is one of our strengths. It is what makes our district and this community such an exceptional place to teach and learn,” commented Superintendent of Schools, Mary Skipper. “Recognizing and understanding that how we learn is informed by our experiences is fundamental to ensuring that our approach to teaching and learning will meet the varied needs of our diverse student population. It starts with a conversation, and hearing from the many voices that bring those diverse experiences to our community and to our classrooms. We’re excited to be part of this series of conversations with Commissioner Riley, and to further engage our community as we continue to work to meet the needs of every student we serve.”

 “We are proud to welcome Commissioner Riley, Latinos for Education, Amplify Latinx, and Greater Boston Latino Network to our community for this important conversation,” stated Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “Our work in Somerville is always centered on making sure that as a community we are doing everything we can to empower every student in Somerville with the skills and support that will help them succeed in life. This is also the foundation of the work we have been doing over the last two years as part of Harvard’s By All Means initiative, and it is at the core of our commitment to build and strengthen partnerships that will support our youth.”

 Event co-hosts and community partners Latinos for Education, Amplify Latinx, and Greater Boston Latino Network have a shared mission to increase Latino representation in elected and appointed leadership roles and to break down barriers to educational opportunity. Parents, guardians, students, community members, and educators are encouraged to participate in this town hall to ask questions and share ideas about how the Somerville Public Schools can best serve its Latino community in order to provide pathways to Latino student success.

 -Somerville Public Schools