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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Update

DEI Update

In early June 2020, Head of School Mark Reed and the Board of Trustees shared a series of letters to the community outlining a set of action steps designed to collectively continue building a culture of inclusivity. Those steps included listening, acknowledging, renewing our commitment and acting, and reporting back.  

Toward this goal, the school has been hard at work developing a variety of initiatives outlined below. Some of these steps occur on an annual basis, such as curriculum review and professional development, but this summer brought with it new progress that we are excited to share with you. These initiatives are not an endpoint, but rather what we hope is the beginning of an iterative, co-constructed effort to change the climate on our campus for the better. 

Listen.  

  • The Director of Diversity Planning, alongside the Head of School and the Director of Marketing and Communications, personally reviewed all the issues raised by community members shared on social media, the alumni petition, and e-mails. We have also had the opportunity to personally connect with many alumni, students, and parents to actively listen and have productive conversations about the work of equity and inclusion that must go forward.  
  • Facilitated Listening Sessions (September 17, 18, and 25): Psychotherapist Myque Harris and Psychologist Bryanna Campbell will facilitate a series of conversations with different groups of Country Day community members, including Middle and Upper School students, parents, faculty and staff, and alumni. They will provide a space to share positive occurrences and/or challenges that they may have experienced in the community. Most importantly, these sessions will allow those groups to share constructive ideas and solutions that will inform the long-term objectives of a strategic plan. More details and invitations will be e-mailed soon. 
  • In October, we will launch the National Association for Independent Schools’ (NAIS) Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM), which will include a full suite of assessment tools, including surveys and focus groups. This process provides schools with a deep understanding of the climate of inclusion on their campuses, from current and past students to teachers, administrators, and trustees. The data from AIM can convert thoughts, ideas, and assumed best practices into benchmarked numbers for real goal setting. 

Understand. Acknowledge.

  • All faculty and advisors participated in additional professional development around issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion this summer. Some examples include an Upper School Faculty Book Club reading of How to Be an Anti-Racist, by Ibram X. Kendi. Also, groups of Lower School faculty read White Fragility, by Robin DiAngelo, and will participate in several guided discussions throughout the year. 
  • Country Day’s Office of Diversity Planning and the Parents’ Association partnered to conduct a 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge, which will be featured in an upcoming issue of Independent School magazine as a model for other schools. The goal of the Challenge is to become more aware, compassionate, constructive, and engaged around our individual actions and words in the quest for racial equity. We had 464 participants. We are excited to announce that alumni have been invited to participate in another session of the Challenge beginning October 5

Renew our Commitment and Act. 

  • The Board of Trustees established a new committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) co-chaired by Board members Shanon Jones and Dave Benson. This committee will lead a community-wide DEI assessment this fall and monitor the progress in meeting the school’s DEI goals.  
  • We are excited to share that a team of leaders from the National Association for Independent Schools (Donna Orman, President; Caroline Blackwell, VP for Equity and Justice; and Mark Mitchel, VP of Operations;) will be working with the Board through this work. They will not only lead equity and inclusion training for the Board, but also guide the process of synthesizing all of the information gathered from the above listening steps to inform and create the school’s DEI action steps and strategic plan. 

Report Back.

These steps represent the beginning of our commitment to make Country Day fully live up to its promise of Affirming Community and providing an inclusive, equitable, and outstanding education to all our students. We will do better, and we are committed to using your feedback to inform and transform our efforts. It is with humility and respect that we take on this work; we ask for your engagement and partnership. Without them, we cannot be successful.  

Please continue to share your stories, visit our DEI website, and contact Brian Wise, Director of Diversity Planning at brian.wise@charlottecountryday.org, with any ideas that you have. We look forward to ongoing conversations.