Plural Commons Digest, Fall 2022

PLURAL COMMONS

Digest / Fall 2022

COMMONS

An environment where each person’s whole Self is welcomed, cared for, and seen as essential to the common good.

A publication of Greenhill School

Welcome letter from Head of Equity & Inclusion Dr. Marcus R. Ingram.

Crowd-sourced poem about what happens when you listen for understanding.

The Student Inclusion Council kicked off their new speaker series with poet and author Andre Bradford.

POETRY IN MOTION

Three Upper School Dance Company members teamed up to produce an improvisational piece that brings together poetry and interpretive dance.

22-23 STUDENT INCLUSION COUNCIL

Introducing the 2022-2023 school year Student Inclusion Council

INCLUSION SELF-STUDY ACTION PLAN

understAND CELEBRATING EDUCATORS OF COLOR

A link to the recently-released research-based inclusion action plan

Employees of color gathered during orientation to hear from Dr. Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College.

INSPIRED EMPATHY INCLUSIVE, REALLY

Greenhill has established a multi-year partnership with Dr. Paul Gorski and the Equity Literacy Institute (ELI).

DIGNITY IN SPORT

The Department of Athletics, in partnership with student athletes, is launching a “Dignity in Sport” initiative.

WHY I PLAY VEILS

Student athletes ground the importance of participation in athletics by sharing why they choose to play.

Dia de los Muertos and ofrendas provide an opportunity to think about veils as invitations.

Above: Grandparents and Special Friends joined their students on campus before Thanksgiving break to enjoy student performances and engage in classroom activities.

@PLURALCOMMONS WITH DR. INGRAM

Friends:

One year ago, we officially launched our fresh approach to inclusive community with a multi-generational panel on the art of listening. At the close of the event, attendees were invited to share written reflections that could be used to help write a song. In the creative process, that shared wisdom has become “understAND,” a crowd-sourced poem about what happens when you listen for understanding.

In this one-year anniversary edition of the Plural Commons Digest, I am pleased to share with you this timely piece of poetry (which may yet be set to music). There are many sounds around us — noise, celebration, violence, and care. “understAND” invites us to quiet our Selves and listen with intention and hope. The Digest encourages us to do the same. May we listen well.

Best, Dr. Marcus R. Ingram Head of Equity & Inclusion

understAND

Should we dare to listen, we may not be the same. Fearless. FearLESS. More is required to listen. And, more probable.

Wait. Is it that simple? Wait?!

How long exactly? Five seconds or decades? Wait… …”to speak” or “to understand” is the question.

Should we care to listen, we may not be the same. Invitation, not inevitable. Gateway, not guarantee. Listening is like exercise for our beliefs. Sets and circuits, reps and rest. Press. Pull. Contract. Extend. Remember to breathe.

Should we seek to listen, we may not be the same. All of us can. All of us won’t. All of us want it for ourselves. Might we gift another with listening?

Even if we do, it may not be enough. If one listens to understand, one stands under the weight of “and.” What was now has more…more edge, more nuance, more context, more detail. “Was-ness” plus “And.”

If we listen to understand, we stand under the weight of AND… “Was” meets “And.”

INSPIRED EMPATHY: A VISIT WITH S.C. SAYS

The Student Inclusion Council has become a valuable advisor to the Office of Equity & Inclusion and an important initiative driver in the Upper School. Last year, the Council imagined a speaker series that would engage students and enhance community. Their inaugural guest – poet and author Andre Bradford – embodied their hope for the series.

Andre Bradford goes by the stage name S.C. Says. He grew up locally in Grand Prairie, was educated in California, and is now based in Austin, where he discovered his voice through Slam Poetry in 2013. An award-winning poet, Andre is author of 2022’s Golden Brown Skin , and he spent two days at Greenhill at the end of September. During his visit, S.C. Says performed a poetry set in Upper School assembly, facilitated a reflection session for advisories, and led classes in the Fine Arts and Humanities.

Andre’s message was one of empathy. His poems and engagements sought to create space for us to be heard, seen, and valued. In assembly, S.C. Says wove his poetry around the Japanese philosophy and practice kintsukuroi , which means “golden repair.” In pottery, the technique uses a metal-dusted lacquer to mend broken places; in life, the essence is to treat brokenness as a part of the story instead of something to be disguised.

Arjun Melwani ’24 said this: “S.C. Says’ performance resonated with me differently than most speakers… [his spoken word delivery] won the attention of many people,…and it was just incredibly impressive…[his style] resonated deeply with me and my peers…[he] wasn’t afraid to show his flaws and thus I could sympathize with my own flaws.”

Listen to an excerpt from S.C. Says here.

POETRY IN MOTION

During author and poet Andre Bradford’s visit in September, members of the Greenhill Dance Company were inspired to make connections between art forms. Sanjna Kalisetty ’23, Erica Fulbright ’23, and Natalie Stachowiak ’24 teamed up to produce “Outspoken Words,” an improvisational piece that complements Blythe Baird’s poem “Pocket-sized Feminism” with interpretive dance.

Sanjna connected with the poem from Associate Head of School Tom Perryman’s poetry class and expressed how the author’s words were remarkably familiar. She said, “I’m not alone. I wanted to share this and dive deeper… where do we put our feminism if we don’t have pockets?”

When Erica was asked how adding movement makes the poem feel different, she said, “It makes the words stick to you

more. Hearing and processing are one thing, but dancing the words is another level.” Natalie said the following lines were the most impactful:

“You could saw a woman in half and it would be called a magic trick. That’s why you invited us here, isn’t it? Because there is no show without a beautiful assistant?”

The juxtaposition of aggressive words (and movement) – “sawing a woman in half” – with the light and playful “magic trick” shined a light on the true objectification of women.

The Dance Company will perform this piece in their Theatre Showcase in December.

Enjoy a rehearsal sneak peek here.

Read the full poem here.

CELEBRATING EDUCATORS OF COLOR

Each year during orientation, Greenhill creates the space for our employees of color to gather. This year, Dr. Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College, joined the group to speak about his journey into education. President Sorrell’s earned degrees and professional experiences are wide and deep, including roles in law and business.

Described as a force, Dr. Sorrell’s leadership at Paul Quinn can be accurately described as transformative. In addition to being the longest-serving President in the College’s 148-year history, Michael is responsible for centering education as a public good by enhancing access to Paul Quinn’s academic programs and emphasizing relevant education. A quintessential example of his vision and influence is the courageous decision to shutter the College’s football program and convert the former football field into a community garden to respond to the food desert conditions of South Dallas. The farm produces spinach, herbs, potatoes, and partnerships with other higher education institutions like Yale University to learn the impact of urban farming.

The essence of Dr. Sorrell’s leadership and the hope of Paul Quinn College can be captured in their motto “WE Over Me.” A similar sentiment resonates amongst Greenhill educators who shared why they teach during the gathering:

I remind myself of what education can be. Like love, education is a capacity, not bestowed but instead cultivated. It is a key ingredient for human thriving and being fully alive.”

- Dr. Karin Thomas, Upper School English

Teaching is the greatest act of optimism. This optimism starts with the sacrifices of my parents, grandparents, and ancestors – many of whom picked to support our families through the generations and to give us a better future. I teach to honor my parents, I teach to honor my grandparents, I teach to honor my ancestors. I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”

- Frank Lopez, Middle and Upper School Photography

INCLUSIVE, REALLY: A HOLISTIC APPROACH

In February 2021, the School released Greenhill 2025: Growing Stronger Together, our institutional strategic plan. As we laid out intentions to strengthen our commitment to academic excellence, develop the whole student, and build a more connected community, equity and inclusion were central tenets of our anticipated approach. Thus, Plural Commons, our philosophy and intended practice of inclusive community, was born. Since, the associated ventures have guided our efforts, including establishing a multi-year partnership with Dr. Paul Gorski and the Equity Literacy Institute (ELI).

Paul founded ELI while working as a university professor and now leads the Institute full-time. The Equity Literacy Institute gets its name from the Equity Literacy Framework, which is a comprehensive approach to cultivating equity in organizational life. The Framework is action-oriented and contends that an equity literate educator will be able to: recognize bias and inequity; respond to bias and inequity in the immediate term; redress bias and inequity in the long term by addressing root causes; cultivate equitable ideologies and institutional cultures; and sustain equitable classrooms, schools, ideologies, and institutional cultures.

To date, the School has engaged in professional learning that has included introductions to the Equity Literacy Framework, exposure to some of the ways inequity may show up in the educational setting, and a series of workshops about enhancing equity in the academic experience. In-between experiences with ELI, School personnel have worked on establishing institutional equity priorities and identifying areas in the teaching and learning experience for amplifying equity. Our professional learning day on October 24, 2022, extended this foundation.

Ahead, we will see our partnership grow in the types and quality of goals we are able to construct for our teaching and learning experience, as well as the broader priorities we identify as a school. We are grateful for the ways our relationship with Dr. Gorski and ELI is helping us make good on our mission-aligned Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

DIGNITY IN SPORT: CULTIVATING A COMPETITIVE SPIRIT

The physical and mental health benefits of being active are well-researched and documented. Greenhill’s approach to holistic education includes a robust physical education (PE) and recess program for even the youngest of our learners, as well as a full slate of organized sports from the Middle School years. To help support this commitment, our Growing Stronger Together Campaign includes enhancements to PE and athletic facilities, which we believe will have a positive impact on our programs and our students

Complementarily, Greenhill Athletics marked the 50th anniversary of Title IX legislation with a gender equity in athletics symposium on October 24, 2022. With leadership from a select group of student athletes, the department began what is intended to be a sustained conversation about the ways in which the School can and will support meaningful participation in sport by as many of our students as possible. The student presenters framed the day’s conversations by providing an historical account

of the relationship between gender and sports, while also using story to point toward some of the complicated contemporary challenges of student participation in athletics. More engagement opportunities are being planned for later this school year.

To amplify the importance of physical education to the student experience and to highlight the capacity of sport to help us be better human beings, the Department of Athletics is launching a “Dignity in Sport” initiative. According to Head of Physical Education and Athletics Jarrett Shine, the effort is designed to bring attention to the value of sports for those who play and the communities of which they are a part. Visual elements of the campaign (likely debuting in spring 2023) will be complemented by language to articulate this value proposition.

One of the first things our community may notice will be a new statement that will be shared at any athletic contest we host where there is an announcer. It reads:

Greenhill School believes in the value of sport, and we affirm the dignity of those who play. We invite you to cheer for your team and enjoy the skill and competition on display. It is unacceptable to belittle, ridicule, or provoke athletes, fans, coaches, staff, or officials.

We are happy to have you as a guest of the school and request your help in making this a positive experience. Winning is admirable. Respect is more important.

Help us cultivate the dignity of sport in our community by supporting our student athletes when they are in competition and encouraging the benefits of play with your children. Go Hornets.

WHY I PLAY

Brenna ’24, Drew ’23, Helen ’23, Kenny ’23, and Thomas ’24 framed Athletics’ Gender Equity Symposium in October with a presentation on the historical and contemporary relationship between gender and sport. They helped ground the importance of participation in athletics by sharing why they choose to play.

I play sports because they are my outlet for stress, an icebreaker in conversations, and something that bonds me to other people. I have been riding horses for 14 years and the barn is my happy place…Soccer is my icebreaker in conversations, whether I’m talking to a player or talking about a game. Soccer has also bonded me to my siblings – I have memories of watching and playing with them in the backyard. Sports also gives me a sense of empowerment and something I can take pride in.”

- Helen Jackson ’23

I play sports for my competitive nature and to have the satisfaction of winning. I play to build bonds with my teammates and coaches that I can keep for my whole life.”

- Drew Muller ’23

I play sports because there is always another level to reach, another milestone to achieve, or another level to hit. Sports involve constant improvement which excites me because there is always something new that I can achieve. I fell in love with the “process”, because the process of getting better leads to performance in the sport.”

- Thomas Rowley ’24

I play sports because it is a fun and active way to bring people together. I also love the competitive aspect and the thrill of the game!”

- Brenna Norton ’24

I began playing sports because my brother was one of the best athletes in town, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Then, I began to fall in love with parts of sports that aren’t advertised. The building of bonds and satisfaction from the long hours and hard work I put in cemented sports as part of my life.”

- Kenny Zhao ’23

From left to right: Kenny Zhao ’23, Helen Jackson ’23, Drew Muller ’23, Brenna Norton ’24, and Thomas Rowley ’24

VEILS

Veils are curious things. Oftentimes, the word refers to something that “covers” or “separates” –think a bride’s or nun’s veil, or the proverbial “veil of secrecy.” Dia de los Muertos suggests that we could think about veils as invitations.

Around our School, ofrendas – altars of special offerings to those who have passed on – have invited us to consider whether the perceived veil between life and death is a demarcation of being alive. In many ways, ofrendas and Dia de los Muertos invite us to discover a thinness to the veil between the lived stories of loved ones and the continuation of those stories in our own lives and in our world.

May we receive well the invitations of the Greenhill ofrendas to remember connections, even if they need to exist across a so-called veil.

Greenhill parent volunteers visited classrooms to teach students about the meaning of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, decorated the halls with beautiful rangoli, and showed students how to create diyas from clay.