Karen Saffold

My story

I have always been a champion for children. Enabling them to be successful, treated fairly and to see their worth in society will always be a priority for me. I get motivated at the fact that God chose me to be a vessel for our youth.

Why I do the work I do

Providing better opportunities for all students has and will always be at the forefront of my work. I have been privileged to bring awareness by working with content experts and collaborating with multiple stakeholders in and outside the district. Ensuring rigorous instructional resources along with honest dialogue enhances accountability and success for students.

My equity challenge and how I work on it

Racism and the disconnect with boys of color has been the problem of practice which I continue to bring to light and strive to solve.  When working with our students, it’s no “us and them”. We must find a way to support all students equally.

What sustains me when equity work stalls, how do I stay motivated when the work gets hard, and how do I push myself and others to advance equity

Looking at my grandchildren, other children in our city and the unfortunate events which frequently occur in our country motivates me to work harder. I want to make sure they are given every opportunity to be successful in and outside of school regardless of their race.

Additional comments

I have been privileged to work with University experts, my current team at CO and my former network team to support this equity work. I am proud of our work which led to overall success for students each year of my tenure as a Network Chief and Deputy Chief Officer.

Resources used to drive equity work

In the CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL, equity is woven throughout the approach to implementation to create school communities where all students can use their talents and interests to realize their fullest potential.