At Country Day, our dedication to academic excellence is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, as stated in our Affirmation of Community. It is central to our mission as an educational institution to ensure that each member of our community has the full opportunity to thrive in our environment; for we believe that diversity is key to individual achievement, educational excellence, and the advancement of knowledge.
Charlotte Country Day School’s Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is guided by one vision, four overarching goals, and three overarching strategies and fundamental approaches—all of which emerged from the input of a year-long process focused on listening, reflecting, and acting.
4 Overarching Goals=DEIB
These key objectives not only guided the yearlong process, they have served as our touchstones throughout the initial year of plan implementation. All aspects of this plan are based on student and family experience. The student experience is the most important measurement for determining our success in achieving our Mission and Affirmation of Community.
Diversity: We commit to increasing diversity, which is expressed in myriad forms, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, culture, national origins, religious commitments, age, disability status, and political perspective.
Equity: We commit to working actively to challenge and respond to bias, harassment, and discrimination through reevaluation of school systems, policies, processes, curriculum, and communications. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and equitably applied resources for all.
Inclusion: We commit to pursuing deliberate efforts to ensure that our campus is a place where differences are welcomed, where different perspectives are respectfully heard, and where every individual feels a sense of belonging and inclusion as a binding principle.
Belonging: We seek to elevate our Affirmation of Community and its expression in the life of the school by building a climate and culture of understanding, empathy, and acceptance. We commit to promoting a deep sense of belonging for all and giving assurance to all community members they will be seen, heard, valued, and secure.
3 Overarching Strategies for Impact
Create a Healthy, Inclusive, and Equitable Campus Climate and Culture
We will continue working to create an environment in which all community members are welcomed and supported. We will seek and value differing perspectives and contributions.
Recruit, Retain, and Develop a Diverse Community
Building on our past efforts, we will promote an even more diverse student, faculty, and staff community and equip individuals with the support and opportunities necessary for their success.
Support Innovative and Inclusive Teaching and Learning
Building upon our strong foundation, we will further enhance and be vigilant in assuring that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core aspects of our educational program offerings and teaching methodology. In formulating the strategy, we will use a variety of methods to assess needs and determine appropriate actions.
3 Approaches
We have committed to a fundamental approach that will allow us to operationalize our strategies and institutionalize them for more long-term shifts and tangible outcomes.
Reinvesting in Foundational Programs: Reinvesting in fundamental programs is critical to our success in attaining the goals and strategies of the DEIB plan.
Building Infrastructure: Building upon and reinforcing the foundational infrastructure necessary for long-term institutional change.
Tracking Metrics, Accountability, and Reporting: The school will continue to track and enhance—over time—key metrics that represent important factors in assessing progress toward our DEIB goals. We will use these metrics to determine whether specific shifts up or down, or lack of activity, represent positive or negative outcomes relative to creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community.