The Value of Diversity Focussing on Faculty & Staff

Mulgrave’s faculty and staff are our school’s greatest strength. The depth of expertise, passion for teaching and learning, and caring nature of this team are extraordinary. However, when we look to make change in systems, we have to also assess the systems themselves. We’ve challenged ourselves to look inward for opportunities to learn, grow, and improve our school to make it a safe and welcoming place for all. A few key initiatives of the 2022-23 school year include:

Increasing Diversity Amongst Faculty & Staff

After receiving valuable feedback from Mulgrave alumni, one of our strategic goals became to increase the diversity among faculty and staff. There are several reasons why this is important for our community:

• Representation: When students see people who look like them in positions of authority and leadership, they are more likely to feel valued and empowered.

• Cultural understanding: A variety of cultural perspectives and experiences helps students learn about different cultures and ways of life, as well as different epistemologies, or ways of knowing. This increases their cultural awareness and intercultural competence.

• Role models: When students see people who have overcome similar challenges and achieved success, they are more likely to believe they can do the same. This is particularly important for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

• Improved teaching and learning: A range of teaching styles and approaches to the classroom benefits all students. It can also create a more dynamic learning environment where students are exposed to different ideas and perspectives.

• Preparation for the real world: In today’s increasingly diverse society, it is important for students to learn how to work with people from different backgrounds and with a variety of communication styles. A diverse school faculty and staff provide opportunities for students to interact with people who hold cultural, racial, or ethnic identities other than their own.

Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism (ABAR) Training

This 21 lesson, four module course has been designed to raise awareness and understanding of bias and racism, and to develop skills and strategies for combating these issues, both personally and systemically. The training aims to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the school community, focussing on Mulgrave’s most vulnerable community members.

Over the 2021-22 school year, our school leadership team took the course and now our entire faculty and staff have embarked on the year-long virtual course which was punctuated with face to face sessions to provide support and to help deepen the discussion.

Course content is available on our website in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice section.

Listening Circles

Listening Circles, also known as restorative circles, are a powerful tool used to foster communication, empathy, and understanding among students and staff. At Mulgrave, Listening Circles were used to create a safe and respectful environment for vulnerable community members to share their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or interruption. Segmented into events for students and faculty/staff, these events were scheduled thematically to focus on various topics such as gender and racial identity. Everyone interested in the theme was welcome to attend.

Leadership Book Studies

In addition to completing the ABAR course, members of Mulgrave’s leadership team have engaged in book studies using the following books:

• Inclusive Conversations by Mary-Frances Winters

• Culture, Class and Race by Brenda Campbell Jones, Shannon Keeny, and Franklin Campbell Jones

• We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders by Linda Sarsour

• Biased by Jennifer L. Eberhardt

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Trainers: Fostering DEI in the Workplace by Maria Morukian