It is with pleasure we welcome Deborah “Dakota” Hoyt into our Gurian Institute infrastructure as our new Managing Director.   As our director between 2012 and 2016, Dakota shepherded GI’s growth into ever widening spheres then she retired (or so she thought!), and now is back with us.   Her organizational skills are awesome and we are so glad to have her with us again. Please welcome Dakota into your GI-related PD …

What professional development is essential?  What PD improves teacher effectiveness and quality, leads to improved grades and test scores among students, and lowers discipline referrals across the board?  Is there evidence-based PD out there that links gender issues and racial equity?  Are you planning out PD days, as well as long term projects, to help with these issues this year? Gurian Institute professional development has been proven effective for more …

Dr. Glynetta Fletcher (Fletch) has written today’s blog post.   With more than twenty years in the Los Angeles Unified School District as teacher, principal, and administrator, she has a wealth of experience meeting the learning needs of all students.  With specialties in racial equity, diversity, and cultural sensitivity training as well, she is able to take her base experience into next level training and consulting for our time. To reach …

As some of you know, my wife of 37 years, Gail Reid-Gurian, passed away on August 16 of pancreatic cancer.   Her memorial service was held at Temple Beth Shalom in Spokane on September 7.   At that service, I read today’s newsletter offering, “Gail’s Final Words.” I hope you will find that this poem captures Gail’s spirit of love and service, which many of you knew first hand in your interactions …

Our own, our family’s, our friends’ mental health is crucial to the survival of us all.  The last few years have taken a terrible toll on the mental health of adults and children, both. Stacy J. Bryant, of SpringHive, has provided us with this detailed primer on protecting your mental health.   If you or a loved one is having mental health difficulties, you might contact The Center, A Place of …

by SEAN KULLMAN Last month, an 80-year-old man went through his routine as an ice cream vendor, pushing his cart full of frozen goodies through the streets of Oakland until a group stepped out of an SUV and robbed him of $120 at gunpoint. The moment served as a harsh reality being played out in towns and cities across America, an irrefutable tension that pitted one man’s commitment to persevere …

A Note from Michael Gurian:  My beloved wife, Gail Reid-Gurian, GI Managing Director, passed away on August 16th.  As she fought pancreatic cancer, she kept up GI work to the end, committed to helping schools and families.  In her last days, she asked me to make sure I let all of you know how much she appreciated working with you on the business side of the service we provide.  …

Academic institutions have been slow to catch up to what we in the grass roots have known for decades:  boys are struggling in schools, and have been for about 40 years.  While girls struggle with targeted issues, boys struggle across the board.  Because our academic environments are one of the reasons they struggle (they generally refuse to provide training in the male and female brain in academic certification, college, or …