Shore CORE: An Interview with Co-Chairs Alexa Squitieri and Sara Tollerud

An interview with Co-Chairs Alexa Squitieri and Sara Tollerud

Why did you launch CORE, and what steps did you take?

The Committee on Representation and Equity (CORE) began organically with many dedicated parents and full support from Shore. Conversations surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at Shore, often with Head of School Clair Ward as facilitator, were becoming more frequent in 2019 and 2020. Many of the same parents would participate in these tough conversations and it became clear that we had a bit of a committee forming before us. The pandemic took things off course but we were able to refocus and get organized in the fall of 2021. Once our committee was officially named and equipped with a fabulous logo, we were off and running!

The committee looked back and studied much of what had happened around DEI at Shore in the past. From there we identified ways in which CORE could add value to the school and family experience. We set a mission, goals, and created a plan of action for 2021-22 which we presented to the community at our virtual launch event in January 2022. We were grateful for the support of the Shore Board of Trustees and Admin Team.

The Farhan family at the North Shore Pride Parade

What are CORE’s goals and vision?

In simple terms, our vision is to enhance visibility to DEI work already happening at Shore and also to provide new and additional opportunities for collective community experiences.

The goals of CORE are to: n Educate by providing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) resources and information n Provide a safe space for community connections and conversations n Support DEIJ work at Shore Country Day School n Promote a school culture that celebrates our multiculturalism and diversity

What did you choose to focus on in CORE’s first year? What’s coming up next?

In our first year, CORE set an ambitious calendar of events and opportunities. Our first initiative was a three-part virtual speaker series, which was open to Shore and the greater community. In February, Dr. Onnie Rogers presented “Why Should We Talk to our Kids about Race?” In April, Theresa Wiggins presented “The Gift of Neurodiversity.” Finally, in May, Alex Myers presented “The Basics of Gender and Why it Matters in Education.”

Our second major initiative was launching Parent SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) under the leadership of committee member Michelle Crafton. Parent SEED is a monthly discussion group which helps parents explore DEI issues through personal reflection, highly structured group discussion, and experiential activities.

Our final initiative for the 2021-2022 school year was a community survey in preparation for the launching of Affinity Groups. The survey data was analyzed in the spring and, from there, we identified an amazing team of parents who volunteered to lead groups. Some Affinity Groups have already hosted initial meetings and the rest are in the process of doing so.

In 2022-2023, we look forward to growing interest and improving upon our initial model. CORE will be hosting quarterly committee meetings, open to all, similar to other Shore Families Association groups. We will continue with our three main initiatives while also exploring opportunities for larger-scale, culturally-focused community events. We are also hoping for more opportunities to partner with Shore employees.

Shore students walking in the North Shore Pride Parade

How has the community been responding?

As a committee, we were overwhelmed by the positive responses we have received from many members of the Board, the administration, the employees, and the family community. Our efforts feel validated and we are incredibly hopeful for the future of CORE.

We were very pleased with our speaker series attendance (between 20-30 participants per event), and hope to grow that further year over year. Our SEED meeting attendance has been small but mighty, which is exactly the model SEED was created for. The discussions have been thought provoking and meaningful, with our parent community truly opening up to the experience.

The committee gifted T-shirts to all Shore students and employees to celebrate the launch in January 2022. The T-shirts included the colorful logo and stated, “Find the CORE of your SHORE.” Committee members explained, “We each carry unique and special traits that make us who we are, and as we explore and express our true selves, we strengthen and grow our school community. What is it about you that is special and makes our community stronger? What is at the core of who our students are? We hope this will inspire some great family conversations!”

What outcomes and results are you hoping for?

We hope CORE continues to bring experiences that foster a sense of belonging to members of our community who may not have always felt like they have a place at Shore. Our hope is to make difficult DEI conversations less scary and to encourage others to feel empowered to lead initiatives/groups/events that fall under this category.

What do you want to tell the Shore community about CORE?

CORE encourages all Shore community members to check out one or more of our offerings. If you are feeling intimidated by the unknown or by the often uncomfortable nature of some DEI topics, please be assured that this is a safe space to explore. We are all in various stages of learning; attendees are never required to verbally participate and are always welcome to simply listen. Special thanks to CORE’s committee volunteers:

Alexa Squitieri P’27, Co-chair Sara Tollerud P’29, Co-chair Amanda Berg P’27, ’30 Michelle Crafton P’27, ’29 Carolyn Liggio P’29, ’29 Veera Farhan P’28, ’31 Elissa McGee P’29 Teghpal Singh P’32 Michele Vaccaro P’24, ’27

Clockwise from top left: Shore 8th graders show off their new CORE shirts; volunteers hand out CORE shirts; Shore employees Ruth Bauer, Rondi Kilham, Loretta Stokes, and Amanda Berg at the North Shore Pride Parade; The McBride family at the North Shore Pride Parade; CORE Co-chair Sara Tollerud with her family at the North Shore Pride Parade, Alum and current parent Amanda Schreyer ’93 with daughter Arden at the North Shore Pride Parade