Community and Belonging

Mel Nelson, Head of School

“Smiles get wider when kids belong. Ideas bloom brighter when people belong.

Hearts go braver when kids belong.

Support grows stronger when people belong. Hands reach further when kids belong

Relationships grow stronger when people belong. Transformation happens when people belong.”

I read this recently on the AmazeWorks platform, and it resonated with me.

I was immediately brought back to when my husband and I were making the decision to start Nia, our oldest, in preschool at Sagemont Prep. As many of you know, I have been part of our Sagemont Prep community for some time, and when Nia was getting ready to enter preschool, I was already part of our remarkable community for nine years. Well, that was not reason enough for my husband, Neil, to choose Sagemont Prep I had raved about the community, educational philosophy, opportunities, and so much more for years to Neil, but he needed to experience it for himself as a parent.

I remember calling Ms. Vigna to schedule a tour for us. Prior to the campus tour, Neil expressed to me that one of the most important factors for him was that our children belonged to a community where they are recognized and valued. He said no fewer than five times right before the tour, “I need to see true diversity on campus.” Although I had been a member of the school community for years, he, of course, never engaged much. That was until it was time to choose the second home for then one child and now children. We left the tour, and he was sincerely amazed at the diversity on campus. Neil walked away with the following:

Amazement… He genuinely experienced a school community that fostered and celebrated diversity and inclusion.

He listened and heard students talk without fear of being judged or ignored. He saw books and projects around the classrooms that represented a multitude of students through cultures, abilities, languages, and so much more.

Thank you for humoring me as I went down memory lane more than ten years ago. You will hear me say it often; I remain part of this incredible school community because it is truly transformative for children. I value our school community then and now because our children are allowed to walk into our classrooms and be represented in thought, ethnicity, race, gender, ability, religion, language, and so much more. Our students are not limited in expression, and a community is fostered to not only have a voice but a voice that is listened to and respected.

Sincerely yours in transformative educational excellence,

Mel Nelson

Sagemont Preparatory Upper School

Felicia Myers, Upper School Principal

Sagemont Prep is a vibrant and diverse learning community that fosters a global perspective and underlines the importance of collaboration and communication as fundamental for success in today’s evolving and complex economy. Sagemont Prep is an international school whose student body is composed of over 26 different nationalities, enabling students from all over the world to experience the American educational system and student life at Sagemont Prep. In addition, our dom domestic students have a rich cultural background, spanning a variety of different religions and races. However, our educational pillars act as a strong common thread connecting students and faculty to encourage empathy, kindness, curiosity to learn, and a willingness to grow.

Students are empowered to share their heritage and have done so by creating a variety of workshops and festivals to highlight their culture, from the Native American Festival, the Hispanic Heritage Festival, and most recently during the Black History Festival.

The Black Student Union, sponsored by Mr. Cheatham and Ms. Sweeting, hosted an engaging day focusing on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and black leaders making an impact today. At the opening ceremony, Representative Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, who provided the keynote address, spoke about leadership and being an agent of change, and Mr. Nelson, a world-renowned opera singer, sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black National Anthem. Students

Students then spent the day rotating through a variety of on-campus workshops. In the Aeronautical Science Program, students were immersed in the field of aviation and aerospace through the lens of the black experience. Presenters were members of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of minorities in all aviation and aerospace careers. In the Sports & Entertainment: the NFL experience workshop, Earl Little, a former NFL player, conducted interactive football activities to experience the day-to-day physical and mental discipline routines professional athletes endure to reach the mecca of their sport.

Additional workshops included sessions on social justice from the legal perspective, black entrepreneurship highlighting start-ups and marketing, and “My Body is Poetry,” an interactive creative writing session designed to provide participants an outlet for sharing the unique story of the skin they live in. Lastly, in the Fashion/Young Entrepreneur session, students learned about the African American experience in the world of fashion from a panel of young entrepreneurs and fashion designers and the principal of a Fashion Academy. During the epic festival conclusion, the Sagemont Prep community was treated to a dramatic fashion show featuring these designer labels modeled by Sagemont Prep BSU members and hosted by Supa Cindy from 99 JAMZ, featuring musical guest Ian Mann, FMU Professor Jefferson Noel, and a step show from D9 dancers.

In addition to celebrating diversity through dedicated festivals, academically, and during club participation at community events such as Weston World Fest, Sagemont Prep encourages students to embrace their diverse interests and passions, from the performing arts to the science and technology fields. This past month was a testament to that educational philosophy and saw the reinvention of the theatre department during a spectacular performance of the musical Tarzan and the first-ever aerial drone competition hosted in our brand-new Innovation Hub.

From the stage design and production quality to the immense talent of the performers, Tarzan was an absolute feast for the senses. Over the course of three days of sold-out shows, this production truly showcased the drive, dedication and collaboration of the visual and performing arts department as a whole. Members of the Sagemont Prep International Thespian Honor Society are currently participating in the state competition.

Sagemont Prep was also proud to host an aerial drone competition, Mission 2023: Blackout, attracting competitor drone teams from across the state, where students participated in blackout piloting games and autonomous flight skills matches. The Sagemont Prep drone team, “Lion Wings,” was thrilled to take home the Judges Award for their outstanding performance.

Sagemont Prep Lower School

Monica Vigna, Lower School Principal

We Grow Together: We Celebrate Uniqueness

When students enter our campus each morning, they walk through doors that are open to a wide range of cultures and a diverse population of students. They are provided with tools and instruction that further develop global citizenship skills. Students are taught to be empathetic learners and culturally aware. Students are also taught the importance of acknowledging and respecting their peers and teachers. At Sagemont Prep, we recognize the differences between people, such as religion, gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, and family structure. We foster an inclusive school environment that leads to students experiencing less isolation, stress levels, and bullying issues are minimized.

Sagemont Prep prepares our young learners to have the necessary tools and knowledge to be successful in the workplace and the future. When our students enter the professional world, they must be able to engage with many people from diverse backgrounds. Sagemont Prep provides this exposure through various activities, events, curriculum, and programs.

As you visit our campus, you will see that all classrooms have family boards that promote a culturally inclusive environment. This is a way to get to know the families and the students. It brings the value of their home into their classroom. It is incorporated into their lessons throughout the different academic content areas. Our parents and families are integral to bringing their culture and diverse backgrounds into the classroom We value the commitment and involvement of our parents as guest speakers, storytelling, and presenters across all grade levels.

Diversity and cultural awareness are implemented across the curriculum. Lesson plans incorporate diversity across all grades, content, and special areas. In Language Arts, students recently developed acrostic poems with the letters HBCU. Students also extend their cultural awareness through the use of a variety of genres in literature and novels. In physical education, key athletes, both females and males were discussed and students' artwork displayed.

We encourage our students to find their passion and follow their dreams. In art, students come together to exhibit different styles, talents, shapes, ideas, forms, and sizes. The art class provides an environment to showcase creativity and student's voice.

Our Signature 7 Projects continue to evolve as our preschool students increase their focus on creating their Flower Mart. To fully understand the needs of running this business, florist Teresa Waite, from Art of Flowers-Weston, was invited to the classroom to talk about how she discovered this passion in Colombia, collecting flowers in her grandmother's garden. Ms. Waite discussed her cultural experience as she studied abroad in Japan, England, and South America. She stressed the importance of not giving up on your passion and dreams. Ms. Waite also talked about diverse flowers and the countries they come from. The students learned about proper care and were then provided a variety of flowers to design their own bouquet baskets.

Our students are truly one with nature, and this extended to our recent gardening enhancement by the environmental club. Environmental club members spent a morning planting various herbs and vegetables. The students talked about the importance of watering, caring, and being responsible citizens of the garden beds Upon completing the actual gardening, Ms. Vigna used the activity as an opportunity to discuss culture and diversity, using a garden as a metaphor.

The rich soil was used to discuss our rich backgrounds. We must fertilize the soil for optimal growth as we should to develop strong relationships focused on inclusion and belonging. We also discussed the weeds in gardens that can rob plants of its nutrients. They are unwanted, just like negative attitudes, mindsets, and behaviors Inclusion is a priority in our school community gardens. We must work hard to cultivate our gardens and culture within the school community. Students know that our gardens (school) are safe and secure places for everyone.