WORLDLY
INTELLIGENT Creative DISCERNING
COLLABORATIVE Laying a Foundation THE POWER OF EXPRESSION:
Compassionate PURPOSEFUL for Civil Discourse By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content
As an educational institution that values open discussion, meaningful engagement, and mutual respect, Ashley Hall prioritizes equipping students with the tools and experiences they need to participate in civil discourse. Beginning in the Lower School through the application of Ashley Hall’s Hallmarks, this foundation builds with the School’s spiral curriculum to culminate in graduates who confidently speak for themselves as well as openly listen to others. “Civil discourse is the practice of engaging in conversation for the purpose of seeking and fostering understanding. It involves the commitment of all parties to a respect for truth, a practice of active listening and purposeful speaking, and an understanding that the cultivation of civil discourse is not a right but a responsibility.” —Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse
In October, Ashley Hall released its Statement on Civil Discourse, a document that encapsulates the School’s long-established approach to productive and meaningful discussion. “The result of a collaborative effort between faculty and administrators to articulate how we embrace honesty, responsibility, and integrity as the guiding standards for daily interaction, this document represents our continued commitment to nurturing and modeling a culture of civil discourse as integral to campus life,” said Head of School Jill Muti. Founded on Ashley Hall’s Hallmarks— Compassionate, Intelligent, Worldly, Creative, Collaborative, Purposeful, and Discerning—the Statement
on Civil Discourse serves as a blueprint for helping students articulate their perceptions as well as grow in their interactions with others.
LOWER SCHOOL FOUNDATIONS “Ashley Hall is committed to teaching students the social, emotional, and intellectual skills needed to sustain civil discourse.” —Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse Lower School students begin learning the foundation for meaningful expression and interaction that eventually will support their ability to engage in civil discourse. “Socialemotional learning is in everything the girls do—how they have Responsive Classroom greetings at the start of the day, how they do their morning meetings, how they come up with the class rules, and how their teachers model civil discourse and mediate conflicts,” said Lower School Counselor Jennifer Vaughan. “It is in the way our PE coaches encourage sportsmanship, the books chosen for literature, the emphasis made in history classes, and
“ The underlying values of civil discourse are embedded in Ashley Hall’s mission, and our Hallmarks
