Mwenyewe Dawan

Mwenyewe Dawan is the assistant superintendent in the Wissahickon School District in Pennsylvania. Her prior roles have included serving as an elementary teacher, instructional support teacher, principal, supervisor of student supports, supervisor of curriculum, and district leader for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). For several years, she served as an adjunct professor in the Reading Specialist graduate programs at Saint Joseph’s University and Arcadia University. Dawan holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Temple University. She has two master’s degrees (Special Education and Reading Specialist) from Saint Joseph’s University and a doctoral degree from Arcadia University, where she completed her principal certification program. She completed the Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility program at Saint Joseph’s University. Dawan’s research interests include topics related to literacy development, leadership development, equity, and cultural responsiveness.

Dawan created a year-long professional development unit entitled Race, Culture, and Class to support educators on their journey in increasing their personal and institutional cultural proficiency and ensuring equitable practices in education. She has also created several professional development units for district and school administrators focused on equity and cultural responsiveness. She is passionate about helping educators and leaders identify strategies to ensure equity and cultural responsiveness in education.

Dawan is currently working with colleagues to write a professional text designed to help educators learn new strategies to build community, make reading–writing connections, and facilitate rich conversations in classrooms about diversity and equity using high-quality literature.