2 minute read
News
Belongingness at Cannon School
“You Belong Here” is not just a tagline at Cannon School, but words our community strives to incorporate into our culture each day. To us, belongingness means every person, in celebration of their background and perspectives, is welcomed, accepted, and living our mission and core values. In addition, "You Belong Here" means that each person's voice is welcomed. We truly believe that we are better together, and we have built our community on valuing each person’s contributions.
In that spirit, and arising from our Strategic Design, a committee for Diversity, Belongingness, and Engagement was formed last spring. The committee’s tasks for this year include:
• Interpret and present to faculty and staff the findings from our community-wide Inclusivity Index. • Finalize, publish, and educate our community about our Board of
Trustees' adopted Commitment to
Belongingness and Engagement (see at right). • Refresh and re-imagine our partnership with Parents At
Cannon group Cannon Cultures. • Study and evaluate the value of a dedicated role on campus to support efforts in the areas of community engagement and belongingness.
The committee looks forward to continuing work that will unite and strengthen our greater Cannon community!
Many Individuals, Many Perspectives; One Mission, One Set of Core Values; Knowing We Belong Here.
Our Individual Agreements:
We listen, learn, and grow. We read and think critically to seek understanding. We model and practice curiosity. We welcome and engage in difficult conversations. We value proximity and practice perspective-taking. We question ideas; we nuture people.
Out Community Agreements:
We seek fairness. We confront and address behavior that is harmful and hurtful. We use processes that ensure identities do not predict outcomes. We explore decisions together, inclusive of many perspectives. We welcome all voices and share our experiences.
News
Check out our Newest Video!
Our newest website video is a great way to experience Cannon School…without ever leaving your couch! Simply scan this QR code to catch some familiar faces…and learn why #YouBelongHere!
Ohana Means Family in the Middle School
Each year, the Middle School faculty pick a theme for the year and weave the concept into their programming. Below, Middle School Dean of Innovation and Technology, Mr. Leigh Northrup, tells us how they arrived at “Ohana,” a concept that plays perfectly with the theme of this issue of Cannon Magazine!
“The concept of ohana came up over the summer as we were thinking about how our Middle School has always felt and acted like a family, and how we always take care of each other. But we wanted to somehow have a cool message and saying around that feeling.”
“We always take a goofy Middle School faculty picture before school starts, and this year we chose Hawaiian print shirts and dresses. That got us thinking about the Polynesian culture, and the movie “Lilo and Stitch” with the really awesome quote of ‘Ohana means family and family means nobody ever gets left behind.’ That really resonated, because of how our Middle School kids take care of each other, how our Middle School teachers take care of our kids, and sometimes how our Middle School kids take care of our teachers. Here, we really are a family.”
