Developing Student Leaders

Beyond the lead stories and images of this article and any of our big progress updates are hundreds of examples of the DEIB Strategic Plan manifesting throughout the divisions and campuses. Our DEIB Strategic Plan leads with a vision centered on developing student leaders for our community and world.

Create a Healthy, Inclusive, and Equitable Campus Climate and Culture

• Community Launch of Cultural Awareness Calendar

• Parent Support Groups (PSGs) DEIB Presentations, including:

International Parents: Affirmation of Community, DEIB Strategic Plan, Cultural Awareness Calendar

Upper School Parents’ Association: Courageous Conversations

• POCIS Back-to-School Cookout, Lower School Family Social, and Holiday Potluck

• Board of Trustees Community and Culture Committee researching opportunities to develop a Total Equity Model

• The community, led by the International Studies Office, welcomed visits and representatives from Ghana, Germany, and England

Recruit, Retain, and Develop a Diverse Community

• 2022–23 New Faculty and Staff Cohort is the most diverse in recent history with more than 30 percent of new hires people of color

• Established recruiting relationships with four HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), including offering teaching fellowship opportunities

• Continuing to build a stronger relationship with Country Day BIPOC Alumni Committee

• Introduced Hiring Protocol for DEIB with the senior administrative team, including scheduling Interview Bias Reduction Training for all hiring teams

Support Innovative and Inclusive Teaching and Learning

• DEIB Professional Development, including administrators and faculty attending the MESH Diversity Training, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Diversity Leadership Institute, and the NAIS People of Color Conference

• Aligning Lower School lessons and planning with the Cultural Awareness Calendar

• Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Anti-Semitism Training for all Middle School faculty

• Culturally responsive curriculum development in the Middle School

• Upper School faculty engaged in increased DEIB professional development including a book read, Light But Not Fire, and a Belonging workshop led by Julie Lythcott-Haims

One of the key pillars of our plan is accountability. As such, progress updates such as this one will continue to be shared in print and online. It is important to note that this progress would not be possible without the incredible leadership of our Board of Trustees, commitment from our faculty and staff, support from our parents, and readiness from our students. It is with huge gratitude and humility that we share this update with you, looking even more hopeful to our continued work toward our shared vision.