The State College Area School Board on Monday approved the appointment of the district’s new director of equity, inclusivity and belonging.
Tonya Black, who most recently served as a State High assistant principal for ninth grade and previously for grades 10-12, succeeds Seria Chatters in the role. Chatters was the first person to hold the position in the district when she was appointed in 2018 and left in September to become assistant vice provost of educational equity at Penn State.
Black has been with SCASD for 26 years. Prior to her time as assistant principal, she was the high school’s dean of students for two years and also has been an elementary classroom teacher, an instructional support teacher, a reading specialist and an interim elementary school principal.
“I am excited to continue supporting our students, families, faculty and staff in this new position,” Black said in a statement. “Honoring equity and inclusion as the foundation of our educational practices, I look forward to problem solving through collaboration and action in order to cultivate a deeper sense of belonging within our community.”
In her new role, Black will “work to support students, parents and employees to create and sustain a culture that embraces equity, inclusion, and belonging at all levels; recognizes and addresses bias (both explicit and implicit); and highlights the importance of maintaining a culturally responsive environment,” according to the job description posted in September.
Overseeing the district’s Office of Equity and Inclusivity, the director’s responsibilities include implementation of SCASD’s Equity Action Plan and annual equity audit; developing cultural proficiency among district staff through professional development, staff evaluation processes and other support activities; developing practices, policies, training programs and related materials; implementing best practices and evaluation processes, and measuring organizational benchmarks; and facilitating restorative discussions with students, families, employees and community members for topics related to equity, inclusion and belonging.
“Tonya’s breadth of experience as an advocate for students and families with diverse backgrounds at both the elementary and secondary levels makes her the ideal choice to lead our Office of Equity and Inclusivity,” Interim Superintendent Curtis Johnson said. “In her various roles, she has consistently promoted equitable, welcoming and inclusive environments in our schools, all the while demonstrating kindness and a love for our students and entire community. Her commitment and leadership will be crucial in our ongoing efforts to prepare all students for lifelong success.”
Black has an undergraduate degree in elementary education and master’s in education degree in curriculum and instruction from Penn State, where she is currently pursuing a doctorate in curriculum and instruction.
She has ESL, English, administrative and reading specialist certifications, and is an experienced trainer for restorative practices and safety care support, according to a news release.
“She brings to the position many years of experience helping district students and families from diverse backgrounds,” Johnson added during Monday night’s school board meeting. “I’m looking forward to working with her in her new role to further our goal of providing equitable learning and school environments for all of our students.”
Black starts in the position this week.
Her former position will be permanently filled by interim State High assistant principal Ryan Walsh. Walsh’s former position will temporarily be filled by Virtual Academy teacher/assistant principal Tina Greene, and Jennifer Scudder, a Reclaiming Individual Talent Program teacher, will fill Greene’s Virtual Academy role on an interim basis.
