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Wissahickon School District highlights AANHPI Heritage Month initiatives and curriculum ties
Summary
The district presented examples of AANHPI Heritage Month work across grade levels — from kindergarten name‑jar activities to high‑school tea‑ceremony field trips — and emphasized integrating Asian‑American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander perspectives across curriculum and school programming.
Kaziah Lour, the district's director of equity and cultural responsiveness, told the board on May 26 that the Wissahickon School District is committed to "fostering equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging" and described how AANHPI Heritage Month activities are woven into instruction across grade levels.
Lour outlined classroom and library efforts at multiple schools: Blue Bell Elementary's name‑jar and cherry‑blossom projects; Lower Gwynedd and Shady Grove bulletin boards and culture fairs; Stony Creek library displays and origami lessons; middle‑school morning announcements highlighting Lunar New Year; and high‑school cultural committee events, a guided tea‑ceremony visit to a Japanese cultural center, and lessons connecting World War II history, internment and later Asian‑American activism. A student, Alita O., joined Lour for the presentation.
Why it matters: Board presentations like this signal district priorities for culturally responsive curriculum and show how schools are translating equity goals into classroom activities and schoolwide events. Administrators said that the board presentation schedule intentionally highlights selected heritage months and that the district seeks to integrate these perspectives year‑round.
What the record shows: The presentation described concrete learning activities — research projects, reflective writing, origami and art, guest demonstrations, and curated library collections — used to increase representation in texts and classroom materials. The district also noted partnerships (for example, a Japan‑America Society program and county college collaboration for a biotech program) and highlighted efforts in environmental science and social studies to surface AANHPI perspectives.
Next steps: The district will continue to provide examples and updates in board materials and said principals will be invited to share school‑level practices that align with the district's equity dashboard.
