The FCLC Newsletter
Founder’s Note
Founder’s Note By Chris Fontana, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Full Circle Leadership Center Dear Educators, Parents, Leaders & Friends, Hope Dies Last I send you my love and hope that you and yours are in good health in this harrowing pandemic. In Studs Turkel’s book Hope Dies Last, he introduces readers to regular citizens who […]
Our Humble Beginnings
Planting Seeds of Citizenship Photo by Stefanie Felix Fridays for Future The entire staff of Beacon Hill International School (BHIS) participated in an all-day professional development workshop with Full Circle Leadership last August. As a result, they requested from FCLC curriculum and activities for a week of Teach-Ins on Climate Catastrophe. The entire staff and […]
FCLC By the Numbers
FCLC By the Numbers 178 745 4 75 25,000 Educators participated in week-long summer institutes “Preparing Global Citizens Through Democratic Classroom Leadership.” Educators who have participated in an FCLC program since inception in October, 2017. Schools who have completed full staff workshops with FCLC (Garfield HS, McDonald International Elementary, Asa Mercer International Middle School, Beacon […]
Arctic Refuge Update
Arctic Refuge Update Arctic Refuge Awareness Holiday Party & Post Party Last December 6, we hosted 35 folks in our home (see photo) to raise awareness around the impending drilling of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). I first learned about ANWR, North America’s crown jewel, through Lenny Kohm, the “Arctic Warrior” who would become […]
The Art of Parenting
The Art of Parenting It is inside our homes where we, as parents, lay the foundation for all that our children learn. It is not our fault that we are most ignorant about the most important profession that has been given to us. The traditional ideas about how to raise children have been around for […]
Stories from Educators
Stories from Educators Three educators share thoughts following their participation in the Preparing Global Citizens Through Democratic Classroom Leadership Summer Institute of 2019. Houdini by Abdel ShakurEnglish TeacherEvanston Township High School, Evanston, Illinois This year I’ve become more reflective about the invitations students offer me in class. Invitations to curiosity, invitations to judgment, invitations to […]
Urgent Action Needed Now: ANWR
Founder’s Note By Chris Fontana, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Full Circle Leadership Center Dear Educators, Parents, Leaders & Friends, Urgent Action Needed Now: Arctic Refuge The Trump Administration is determined to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling. January 6, 2021 is set as the date for the sale of leasing rights to […]
Pandemic Solidarity
Pandemic Solidarity By Louise Renshaw 18 months ago, on a single spring Friday afternoon, we found out that our twelve-year-old son had been 1) shop lifting from the local CVS every day after school; 2) drinking wine from an open bottle in our fridge; 3) ordering video game items using our credit account—and without our […]
Black Teachers Matter Podcast
Black Teachers Matter Podcast By Abdel Shakur My name is Abdel Shakur, and I’m in my 13th year of practice as a high school teacher, my second year of engaging with Democratic Classrooms, and my 42nd year of being a mixed Black man. I wouldn’t have gotten this far if not for a powerful group […]
MSAN Consortium Intersectional 2020-2021
MSAN Consortium Intersectional Social Justice Collaborative 2020-21 “Your story matters because you have the ability to tell a story different from the ones we’ve been brainwashed to believe!” Dr. Bettina Love told 200+ middle and high school students from schools across the USA last Wednesday, December 2 at the 2nd convening of the MSAN ISJC: […]