Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Approved by the Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew Board of Trustees May 2022

Governance

GOAL The Board will approve a revised written vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion by May of 2023 that will replace the current Statement of Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that was adopted in 2018. The vision will include language around affirming the diversity already represented at the school and the intention to sustain and enhance it.

Rationale It has been proven in independent schools across the country that successful strategic action in diversity, equity, and inclusion requires board leadership. A written vision statement provides specificity to the school’s intentions with regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This, in turn, will assist trustees in their role as lead advocates for the operational steps called for in the vision.

Step A Board task force with representation from the school’s key constituents (faculty, staff, parents, guardians and trustees) will draft a vision statement for diversity, equity, and inclusion that advances the school’s mission “to inspire, through an academically challenging course of study, the intellectual curiosity, confidence, moral courage, and character to prepare students to be leaders of positive change in the world.”

Time Frame The vision statement will be brought to the Board for approval by May of 2023.

GOAL The Trusteeship Committee will nominate individuals for trusteeship who will bring diverse perspectives to the Board. Among other things, the Committee will monitor the representation of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, gender, and sexuality on Board committees and the Board itself. The intention will be to have committee membership and the Board as a whole mirror the diversity in the school community.

Rationale Research has proven that diverse representation enhances the generative capacity of all groups. A primary function of a board is to be the springboard for innovative strategic thinking. By assisting the process of enhancing a diverse representation on the Episcopal Day Board and its committees, the Trusteeship Committee will enhance this generative capacity.

Steps Utilizing input from the school’s administration, trustees, and the Day School Parents Association leadership, in September of each school year the Trusteeship Committee will refresh its list of prospective Board committee members and trustees to assist its intention to develop and sustain a diverse “pool” of candidates for trusteeship.

Time Frame This process will be implemented at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.

GOAL On an annual basis, the Board will be provided with ongoing training to assist its intention to sustain substantive action in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Rationale Independent schools have struggled in making any significant progress with regard to institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Most often, this is because the process of change has led to controversy and resistance that school boards and administrations are unprepared to manage.

Governance training in diversity, equity, and inclusion cannot be a “one-off” sense each layer of change advances both constituent advocacy for more progress and new levels of resistance to the work that is being pursued.

Steps Simultaneous with the process of developing a vision statement, the Board will engage a consultant with specific expertise in the intersection of governance practice and strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

The Board will utilize the learning captured in this consultancy to develop a communication strategy that trustees will utilize when the vision statement is presented to the school community in May of 2023.

Each September, the Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, in consultation with the Trustees Committee, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Head of School, and Chair of the Board will suggest webinars, workshops, and conferences that provide trustees with training in best governance practices in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The annual orientation process for new trustees will include a focus on the strategic plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion including how the plan came to be and the current status of the objectives in the Plan.

Time Frame A consultant will be hired by August of 2022 and communication strategy defined by March of 2023.

Trustee orientation and trustee education will be ongoing.

Professional Development

GOAL By the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, Episcopal Day’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion will be infused into the teaching methodology and content of the academic program through sustained professional development on diversity, equity, and inclusion for faculty and administration.

This work will include an active process of communication with and education for parents and guardians with regard to the changes in pedagogy and curricular content that come along with this effort.

Rationale Infusing diversity, equity, and inclusion into teaching methodology and academic programming is essential in achieving a school’s primary purpose to provide students with the skills necessary for academic success. A diversity of perspectives is the primary stimulus to critical thinking. For this reason, giving priority to developing the faculty’s expertise in teaching methodology and academic programming consistent with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion is fundamental for successful learning outcomes for all students. As is the case with any change in a school’s programs and practices, timely communication with parents and guardians as well as carefully planned parent and guardian education are essential as this work is implemented.

Steps In August 2022, the academic programming team will initiate a three-year consultancy program for faculty that will focus on advancing teaching methodology that supports a range of perspectives in classroom discussions and curricular materials.

As this work is started, the initial focus will be on gaining a full awareness of the diversity that is already present in our classrooms and taking steps to ensure that the cultures, faiths, and other iterations of identity present in our school today are embraced and celebrated.

Time Frame The consultancy will be completed by May of 2025.

Demographics: Students

GOAL Episcopal Day’s vigorous commitment to the importance of a diverse student body is evidenced by the demonstrable presence of students and adults of Asian American and/or Pacific Islander descent and students and adults from a wide variety of faiths. The goal now becomes to further this commitment while simultaneously aiming to increase the number of students and families that are currently underrepresented in the school such as families from a range of socio-economic groups, LatinX families and students, African American families and students, and LGBTIA+ families and students. The objective of this work is to have the school more closely reflect the demographic of the communities from which it draws its families.

Rationale Episcopal Day is located in the center of San Mateo County, a broadly diverse community. The Board embraces the long-term goal to have the student body more closely mirror the diversity of the community in which it is situated. The purpose of this is to advance the academic capacity of the student body since it is understood that the presence of a wide range of perspectives is the primary source of authentic critical inquiry.

Steps The Board’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and the school’s Advancement Team will present a report to the Board of Trustees that will include: A.

An in-depth demographic analysis of San Mateo County.

B.

A networking strategy designed to establish connections with people and organizations that will assist the intention to increase applications from families of diverse identities and backgrounds.

C.

Recommendations focusing on the staffing and resources necessary to establish and sustain new networks.

D.

Proposed adjustments to admission policies and practices that will assist the pursuit of the goal.

Time Frame The report will be presented to the Board by January of 2023.

GOAL By the fiscal year 2026-27, the school’s financial aid resources will reflect the Board’s intention to have the student body more closely reflect the demographic of the communities from which the school draws its families.

Rationale Although it is understood that there are many families noted in the strategic plan’s student demographic goal who can afford an Episcopal Day education, demographic data reveals that an enhanced financial aid budget will be necessary in order to make progress in building and sustaining a diverse student body. Incremental increases in the financial aid budget over the next four years will recognize this need.

Step The Finance Committee, with the guidance of the Head of School, and Director of Finance and Operations, will determine the amount of financial aid necessary to support the intention to have the student body more closely reflect the demographic of the communities from which it draws its families. This research will include a proposal about the timing of a staged increase in the financial aid budget.

Time Frame A proposed timetable for increases in the financial aid budget over then next four fiscal years will be presented to the Board in December of 2022.

Demographics: Professional Community

GOAL By the beginning of the 2023-24 school year, the school’s administrative team will have revised hiring practices and policies to reflect the intention to enhance and sustain a diverse professional community.

Rationale A demonstrably diverse faculty and staff advances meaningful engagement for all students.

Additionally, intentions to attract and retain a diverse professional community must include systemic and structural support for those teachers and staff whose identities are not currently well represented in our community.

Step

By December of 2022, the Head of School and the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will present a report to the Board of Trustees that outlines the hiring practices and policies and the budgetary resources necessary to attract and sustain a diverse professional community. Policy revisions and the training necessary to implement them will be concluded by June of 2023.

Time Frame The school’s administration will be utilizing the revised hiring practices and retention strategies by June of 2023.