The Diversity Planning Office is excited to share the Country Day’s Cultural Awareness Calendar for the 2024-25 school year. With a focus on our Mission and Affirmation of Community and centered on Belonging, this calendar is a living document to support students and families in our community. Please read more about how this calendar was created, its purpose, how it is used, and how it will be updated to continue to reflect the Country Day community.
What is this calendar, and what is its purpose?
With a focus on our Mission and Affirmation of Community and centered on Belonging, this calendar is a living document to support students and families in our community.
In the classroom: Classroom teachers and advisors can use this calendar as a way to be aware of and acknowledge in developmentally appropriate ways all events/cultural celebrations occurring, regardless of whether or not they have a student who celebrates/recognizes the date, in an effort to create mirrors and windows for all of our students. Learning about cultural traditions and holidays creates a sense of belonging for everyone in our community to acknowledge and support our families’ histories and experiences. It serves the purpose of guiding our faculty with the support of the Diversity Planning Office and director of studies in curricular planning.
For parents: Resources and information on these dates will be shared on DEIB Every Day along with examples of how it is experienced for our students.
What was the process for creating this list?
After reviewing the school’s current holiday/celebrations policies/practices (i.e., sending cards, no homework days, curriculum, the school closed holiday list, DEIB Every Day posts and communications, events, athletics schedule postponements, food, decorations), it was decided that the school needed to create a process for recognizing, observing, and honoring holidays, which ones and how. From there, the Diversity Planning Office and Marketing/Communications Office spearheaded a committee to achieve this goal, which included the director of studies from each division, international studies, admissions, and advancement. The committee spent the year reviewing and refining not only the calendar but how it will be used – beginning with a focus on our Mission and Affirmation of Community and centered on Belonging. The list and recommendations were then reviewed by the Administrative Council and the Committee of Culture and Community of the Board of Trustees.
How are religious holidays handled?
While we will not teach the religious aspects of a holiday or teach one religion or religion holiday as the correct one, we will explain (in a developmentally appropriate manner) what the historical meaning of that holiday is. Religion aspects will be explained matter-of-factly.
What is it not?
Please note that just because a date is listed on this calendar – it does not automatically mean it is necessarily being taught in the class. One example is the LGBTQ Day of Silence. This date is not referenced to Lower School students; however, Upper School students have in the past chosen to honor this day, so it is important for our community to be aware of its date and significance.
Where do I go with questions?
Faculty questions regarding curriculum: Division director of studies:
(JK-1) Rebecca Paterson, rebecca.patterson@charlottecountryday.org
(2-4) Lori Townsend Mahaffey, lori.townsend-mahaffey@charlottecountryday.org
(5-8) Kasey Short, kasey.short@charlottecountryday.org
(9-12) Tanya Andrysiak, tanya.andrysiak@charlottecountryday.org
If you have a question about a date or want to add a date, please share it with Daryl Williams (daryl.williams@charlottecountryday.org).