GOAL THREE: DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE, LIFELONG COMMUNITY GOAL

Our school—like our community, region and nation—is increasingly diverse. We recognize, celebrate, and honour our diversity. As we actively focus on becoming a more pluralistic community, we have highlighted days of significance on our media screens, celebrated a variety of cultural events during Chapel, such as Hanukkah, Lunar New Year, Truth and Reconciliation, Black History Month, and increased the number of affinity groups we have on campus. While these celebrations enhance student awareness of diversity, integrating pluralism into the everyday curriculum in all four schools leads to a clear understanding of inclusivity. Our goal is to have each member of our community have a lifelong personal connection to the College and feel supported, included and appreciated for their contributions.

HSC offers students and families an integrated learning experience from early childhood through high school. We know that our younger students learn differently from those at the higher level and we are working to develop a curriculum scope and sequence for pluralism that is age and stage appropriate. In addition, we are prioritizing the inclusion of widely diverse voices in our curriculum, programs and projects. For example, our English department recently completed an audit of the list of texts that were used in their classes, and the Junior School has created a draft Social Justice Continuum. When a gap was seen in the Montessori materials, we created our own materials to recognize Canada’s Indigenous peoples and Black History. In addition, two student representatives from HSC’s Indigenous Students and Allies Association presented their ideas about Truth and Reconciliation to the Board in the fall and made some suggestions to help the College move forward.

This winter, we expanded the number of multifaith/prayer rooms by opening a new space in the Middle School, located in the Heaven Building. As a community, Middle School students, faculty, and administration co-constructed shared essential agreements for the respectful use of this space.

HSC prides itself on a feeling of belonging and community, and we will endeavour to continue to build lifelong connections with our alumni as integral members of our community. It was a joy to welcome back so many alumni at the holiday reunions after Carol Service. In addition, our parents are key partners in the learning experience for their children and we are developing parent education opportunities that help parents partner effectively and appropriately in support of the shared goals and values of the HSC community. Some recent examples are presentations by Jennifer Casa Todd on Raising Digital Leaders and Mrs. Gina Ranger on Social Emotional Learning from a Montessori Lens. Finally, the Admissions and Enrolment team is often the first relationship a family will engage in at HSC. To best ingratiate our newest students and parents in our community, this team has introduced a comprehensive New Family Campaign, which includes personal welcomes from key areas of the College, parent and student orientations, an informational landing page and a special HSC spirit gift delivered to their door. From this special first welcome begins a lifetime of affinity.