DEIB REPORT

By the Office of Diversity Planning

SINCE THE CREATION of Country Day’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Strategic Plan in 2021, our commitment to fostering an inclusive academic environment has shown significant progress. Our dedication to excellence in education, as articulated in our Affirmation of Community, is intrinsically linked to our mission to create a thriving environment for all community members. Through our DEIB Strategic Plan, we have focused on creating a healthy, inclusive, and equitable campus climate, recruiting and developing a diverse community, and supporting innovative and inclusive teaching and learning. Notable achievements from the 2023–24 school year include the following:

• Development and implementation of professional development training for all Lower School faculty, Culturally Responsive Teaching.

• Diverse Faculty Leadership Development Initiative—28 faculty and staff fellows participated in a state-of-the-art leadership program.

• Establishing a 16-member Upper School Community and Belonging Student Leadership Committee.

These strides affirm our belief that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are essential to individual achievement and academic excellence. We continue to work toward achieving the goals presented in the DEIB Strategic Plan by developing, strengthening, and revising foundational programs, metrics and accountability, and infrastructure as ways to institutionalize this work. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the members of our community who have contributed to these efforts, helping us work towards our goals and, most importantly, making an impact on the lives of our students.

By the Numbers

19%Faculty/staff of color

1,167 Lessons in Lower School classrooms on cultural events and celebrations

19+ Hours spent in Middle School classrooms teaching intent versus impact lesson adapted from the Anti-Defamation League

12 Upper School mentors working with Lower School students through new affinity group mentorship program

156 Hours of religious and cultural identity professional development by Upper School faculty

Partnering with local Jewish organizations and temples, Director of Diversity Planning Brian Wise, choreographer Carolyn Dorfman, and Rabbi Stuart Gershon celebrated the impact of the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company’s performances of “The Legacy Project – A Dance of Hope.” This series, which ran from May 1-8, held 11 performances and master classes throughout Charlotte, including for our Middle School students. The May 8 performance hosted at Country Day was the grand finale, showcasing an award-winning tribute to resilience, memory, and the enduring power of the human spirit.