An Action Plan Fall 2020
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
As a community that is committed to valuing and supporting all identities and experiences, Pacific Ridge School strives to foster inclusivity and equity to prepare students for life in a diverse society. A statement co-crafted by students, administration, and Board of Trustees in 2019
HEAD OF SCHOOL
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY & INCLUSION
STATEMENT
STATEMENT
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are, and always have been, important to Pacific Ridge School. However, the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020 and specific, meaningful feedback provided to us by alumni and students have illuminated many ways in which we have fallen short in our efforts to address these issues. Our approach to equity work, while well-intentioned and substantive, has not been effective or vocal enough. We have not made the school inclusive for all of our students, staff, and families, and we have not made our diversity a critical enough part of a Pacific Ridge education. Thank you to all our community members who are calling for us to be a better institution in this regard. This document, an action plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Pacific Ridge, illustrates our top priorities right now, the work we have been doing, and our most immediate plans to make our school a place that truly values diversity in all its forms and makes a home for everyone on our campus.
Dr. Bob Ogle
Creating and maintaining a school culture that fosters a sense of belonging at all levels is the aspiration of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As we grow our capacity to value diversity, the school’s vision is to become a more inclusive community where everyone can be their best self, feel safe, and know that Pacific Ridge is where they belong. Belonging is not achieved through diversity of thought; a classroom full of diverse thinkers, while important for depth of learning, does not instill a sense of belonging for marginalized identities. More must be done for these students to feel their presence is truly valued. As educators we are called to care deeply for all of our students and for each other. By advancing ten of the DEI initiatives identified in our 2019 strategic planning process, we are enacting our care by challenging inequitable school policies and practices, centering the experiences of marginalized identities, and taking action to disrupt incidents of bias and hate on our campus and in the community.
Susan Woods, J.D.
ACTION PLAN PRIORITIES A key initiative in the 5-year Strategic Plan introduced in the fall of 2019 is to “Cultivate a diverse, empathetic, and inclusive community of learners by fostering a safe environment where all voices feel a sense of value and belonging.� Ten initiatives of this plan fall under three main priorities:
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Build a trusting environment where all voices feel safe and valued; build an empathetic and inclusive community that nurtures a sense of belonging Recognize and uplift diverse experiences and perspectives Shape our individual and collective narratives to show that we value diversity and inclusion, hold ourselves accountable, and empower the community to uphold our ethical standards
Grow the Faculty, Administration and the Board of Trustees’ Understanding of How DEI informs How We Teach, Administer, and Govern Our School PURPOSE To acknowledge, understand, and rewire our personal biases; to establish a baseline DEI fluency; to broaden our cultural competency to support authentic, positive interactions with students and each other
PROGRESS •
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Held 10 “Unboxed Discussion” Series: Regular community opportunities to lean into difficult conversations that are necessary for growth (Summer 2020) 2020 faculty and staff required summer reading: How to Be An Anti-Racist, by Ibram X. Kendi, with bi-weekly summaries distributed 2019 DEI-themed faculty and staff summer reading options curated by Director of Community and Inclusion Recognized Affinity and Alliance group advisors as equivalent to Clubs and Service Learning advisors (piloting 2020-21 academic year) Ongoing attendance by faculty and Board representatives at NAIS People of Color Conference (since 2012) and Pollyanna Conference (since 2018)
ON DECK • • •
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DEI and Governance workshops with Board of Trustees facilitated by Alison Park of Blink Rethinking Diversity (Fall 2020/Spring 2021) Faculty Professional Development Allyship Workshop “It’s Not About What You Believe; It’s About What You Do” (August 2020) Promote gender inclusivity through professional development with Gender Spectrum, including “Dimensions of Gender” and “From Perspective to Practice” (Spring 2021) Anti-Bias workshop through the AntiDefamation League (Spring 2021) Faculty Professional Development “Beyond the Why and Into the How: Practical Steps Toward Inclusive Classrooms” facilitated by Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (March 2021)
LEAD
Susan Woods, Director of Community &
Inclusion
WORKING TEAM Tim Betzala, Dean of
Faculty
Document Instances of Bigotry and Prejudice PURPOSE To formalize a consistent process for reporting instances of bigotry and use collected data to inform programmatic changes where appropriate; to better understand the frequency of these incidents; to educate the community about the harm they cause and how to prevent and address them; to keep the goals of safety and accountability at the forefront of how the school responds to reported bigotry
PROGRESS • •
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Reviewed recently reported instances of bias for increased consistency in handling and response (Summer 2020) Developed process to report bias incidents, evaluate information received, provide appropriate responses, and assess data trends to provide support or change structures currently in place (Summer 2020) Created forms to allow students to submit incidents of bias against themselves or others and for teachers to submit incidents of bias against students (Summer 2020)
ON DECK • •
Share forms and provide instruction to students and teachers (Sept 2020) Continue to review and make recommendation-based improvements to the process (ongoing)
LEAD
Alfie Hobbs, Assistant Head of Upper
School
WORKING TEAM
Don Collins, Director of Athletics Luke Michel, Head of Middle School Allegra Molineaux, Head of Upper School Sarah Peeden, Assistant Head of Middle School Jed Stotsenberg, Assistant Director of Athletics Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
Increase Efforts to Recruit and Retain Diverse Faculty PURPOSE To better connect students to the community and the material they are learning by enabling them to see themselves reflected in the makeup of faculty and staff; to help ensure success among groups that have been traditionally underrepresented on campus
LEAD
Tim Betzala, Dean of Faculty
PROGRESS • • • • • • •
Included Director of Community and Inclusion on the hiring team (2019) Increased financial resources for hiring more diverse faculty since 2019 Partnered with recruitment firms NEMNET and STRATEGENIUS that focus on curating a diverse candidate pool Dean of Faculty and administrative leadership attended diversity recruiting/hiring fairs and workshops since 2017 Training and education for existing faculty on the value of diverse perspectives in our community since 2016 “Stay” interviews to learn from, support, and retain faculty who are in the minority at PRS Maintained the Faculty Equity Advisory committee to work in tandem with Student Equity Advisory (SEA) (2019)
ON DECK • • • •
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Work with diversity hiring firms, historically Black, Hispanic, and Native American colleges and universities Attend various diversity hiring conferences (Fall 2020) Train academic leadership team, department chairs, and supervisors on diversity hiring (2020-21) Review hiring processes: identify criteria that may exclude or create barriers to entry for a diverse candidate pool; reconsider where opportunities are posted, how resumes are sorted, how interviews are conducted and finalists are determined (2020-21) Require all candidates to identify cultural competency and identify how it informs their practice and leadership (beginning Spring 2021)
WORKING TEAM
Abby Adams, Communications Manager Alfie Hobbs, Assistant Head of Upper School Julian Jones, World Languages teacher Kara Sterner, Director of Marketing & Communications Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
Increase Efforts to Attract, Retain, and Recognize a More Diverse Student Body PURPOSE To actively identify and cultivate relationships in diverse communities throughout the San Diego area that help to spread awareness about the opportunity and value of Pacific Ridge School; to ensure that diverse enrolled students and their families have avenues of connection and support throughout their school experience
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Engaged a Community Liaison to help identify community partnerships (2016) Developed relationships with non-profit organizations, medical professionals, and public charter schools to raise awareness of PRS (2018 & 2019) On-site information sessions and campus tours with leadership of community partners (both in English and Spanish) to encourage diverse families to engage with the admissions office (2018) Translated admissions collateral and information to Spanish (2018) Tracked diversity data over time, indicating an increase from 31% to 37% students of color over the last 5 years (ongoing) “Stay” interviews to learn from, support, and retain current families with diverse identities (ongoing)
ON DECK • • • •
Expand community partnerships to include more diverse feeder schools and organizations Create and cultivate a parent affinity group program in coordination with the Parent Engagement Initiative Ensure that website and marketing materials reflect diversity goals Review application process and admissions criteria: identify aspects that may exclude or create barriers to entry for a diverse applicant pool; reconsider where opportunities are posted, how applications are sorted, how interviews are conducted and acceptance is determined
LEAD
Jenny Bjornstad, Director of Enrollment
WORKING TEAM
Alfie Hobbs, Assitant Head of Upper School Julian Jones, World Languages teacher Lettie Minor, Associate Director of Admissions Kara Sterner, Director of Marketing & Communications Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
Improve Advisory Programs to Foster a Greater Sense of Belonging PURPOSE To help build connections in Advisory among students, their peers, and their advisors; to make the Advisory experience more meaningful through purposeful programming focused on socialemotional learning, reflection, and mindfulness
LEAD
PROGRESS
WORKING TEAM
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Developed Advisory philosophy to engage students in personal reflection and skillbuilding that will help them overcome challenges and lead fruitful inner and outer lives (started September 2019) Grade-level themes of Belonging, Reflection, and Growth to guide activities and conversations throughout the school year Advisory curriculum to include: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity themes; Growth mindset, resilience and self-advocacy; Conflict management and difficult conversations; Time management and organizational skills; Motivation and goal setting; Life balance/ managing stress/self-care; Developing selfawareness and identifying values, beliefs, attitudes; Decision-making
ON DECK • • •
Rollout of advisory programming (Sept/Oct 2020) Continued feedback from students and faculty to refine lessons (Ongoing) Yearly process for program review, revisions and addition of new plans
STUDENTS
Wyatt Elsner ‘21 Scott Vu ‘21 Claire Zhang ‘21 Dylan Powell ‘22 Dash Daniels ‘22 Abel Martinez ‘22 Tianne Chazin ‘22
Josie Twardowski ‘23 Connor Elmore ‘23 Naia Riggenbach ‘23 Jarrah Newman ‘23 Sophia Nguyen ‘23 Aydin Abudawas ‘23
Alfie Hobbs, Assistant Head of Upper School Elizabeth Grossman, Eleventh-Grade Dean Alison Lahl, Ninth-Grade Dean Allegra Molineaux, Head of Upper School Sarah Peeden, Assistant Head of Middle School Hans Richter, Twelfth-Grade Dean Steve Stella, Tenth-Grade Dean Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
FACULTY
Scott Lyman Joanna Gonda Hans Decrop Liz O’ Brien Jamie Kelso
Tim Kent Johnny Thieken Preston Peeden Peyton Bray
Review and Revise Our Curriculum (What We Teach) with Attention to Systemic Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion PURPOSE To ensure that curricular and co-curricular opportunities reflect the experiences of the diverse population in our school, our region, our nation, and our world; to ensure that the experiences, successes, and joys of historically marginalized people are represented in the classroom
PROGRESS •
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Rebalanced English reading curriculum at every grade level to be more inclusive of voices that are typically displaced by the western literary canon (2020) Courses added to curriculum: Women’s Literature (2018), African American Literature (2019) Ethnic Studies Independent Study (Fall 2020) US History focused on the promises and shortcomings in American history and inclusion/exclusion in terms of who was considered “American” and what is American history (2020)
ON DECK • •
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Revise and refine current curriculum auditing practice for each academic department Adopt process for departments to recalibrate and align scope and sequence with DEI every two years; adopt a protocol for faculty to review their own curriculum with a DEI lens Identify skills and competencies that empower students to recognize and dismantle systematic racism, bias and discrimination, and adopt them in core 7th-10th grade academic program Ongoing training of teachers in using classroom instruction that promotes equity Ethnic Studies Course Proposal for 2021-2022 school year
CO-LEADS
Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion John Comforto, Dean of Studies & Student Life
WORKING TEAM
Tim Betzala, Dean of Faculty
Assess Pedagogy (How We Teach) in Relation to DEI and the Curriculum PURPOSE To review Harkness and other pedagogies, assessing equity in classroom practices; to deconstruct the intention and impact of our pedagogical practices so Harkness discussions are accessible and effective for all students; to consider how pedagogy, including Harkness, can better encourage students to think critically about the underlying facts and assumptions that support different views: to allow time for reflection as individuals to develop a more equitable shared experience that centers around a safe and trusting classroom environment
PROGRESS •
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Incorporating techniques that are not part of traditional Harkness pedagogy (thinkpair-share, whip-arounds, etc) as core parts of PRS teaching to ensure more equitable participation in the classroom (work-inprogress) Filmed a number of Harkness teaching sessions in Pacific Ridge classrooms as a way to help train teachers on how to create equity in the classroom (2019) Determined protocol for avoiding use of the N-word when it appears in academic text, acknowledging that the harm and impact of the word is greater when it is given breath and spoken aloud
ON DECK • • •
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Research and survey culturally responsive and gender-inclusive pedagogy Survey and evaluate Harkness assessments Continue to build more accessible and equitable forms of Harkness by focusing on strategies that make the experience equitable for students with learning differences Use faculty orientation, team meetings, and co-teaching time as an opportunity to build a Harkness pedagogy that is more equitable and sustainable through regular review and training with faculty new to Pacific Ridge
LEAD
Luke Michel, Head of Middle School
WORKING TEAM
Tim Betzala, Dean of Faculty John Comforto, Dean of Studies & Student Life Sarah Peeden, Assistant Head of Middle School Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
Refine the School’s Statement of Core Values PURPOSE To support the behaviors in which our community needs to engage on a daily basis to live into the school’s diversity statement; to deepen the school’s practice of ethical responsibility
LEAD
Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
WORKING TEAM PROGRESS • • • •
Review of existing core values statement from Founding Board of Trustees (2020) Core values workshops with Academic Leadership (2020) Research on various industry core value statements Planning session to map out how existing mission statement, diversity statement and athletics core values work together
ON DECK •
• • •
Survey community members (students, parents, faculty, staff, administration and Board of Trustees) to identify themes related to positive and negative behaviors witnessed in the community to inform final core values Revise core values statement Launch and start implementation of core values statement Community Life: “Implicit and Unconscious Bias: Bridging the Distance Between Professed Values and Daily Behaviors” by Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (March 2021)
Abby Adams, Communications Manager Tim Betzala, Dean of Faculty John Comforto, Dean of Studies & Student Life Alfie Hobbs, Assistant Head of Upper School Sarah Peeden, Assistant Head of Middle School Kara Sterner, Director of Marketing & Communications Jed Stotsenberg, Assistant Director of Athletics
Foster Greater Parent Engagement and Education on Community and Inclusion PURPOSE Engage and collaborate with parents and bring families with diverse backgrounds into the fold of our extended community to promote trust and a sense of belonging
LEAD PROGRESS • • • •
Meet with parents individually and in small groups to discuss their sense of belonging at Pacific Ridge (2020) Launch Parent Affinity Groups (2020) Collaborate with Parents Association to align its work with DEI Brainstorming sessions to develop educational DEI programming for parents and opportunities to build community with parents who represent diversity at Pacific Ridge
ON DECK • • • • •
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Parent survey to gauge interest and identify the social, cultural, and ethnic strengths within our community Educational Series: “Pursuing Cultural Competency” Work with parents to achieve a high level of engagement around community and inclusion Extend our learning community to include parents in their own learning process Engage families as leaders and sources of information about their families’ cultural strengths; learn about cultural norms of families represented in the school to understand the prior knowledge, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences that inform students’ thinking and perspective Identify potential cultural barriers to parent engagement; find ways to overcome cultural and economic obstacles that inhibit parent community involvement
Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
WORKING TEAM
Abby Adams, Communications Manager Alfie Hobbs, Assistant Head of Upper School Allegra Molineaux, Head of Upper School Sarah Peeden, Assistant Head of Middle School
Funding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives PURPOSE To ensure that the school commits financial resources to DEI efforts; to maximize access to opportunities at Pacific Ridge School for students and families with varied socio-economic backgrounds; to become as diverse a community as possible and maintain an anti-prejudice posture throughout the institution
PROGRESS •
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Provide tuition assistance funding so at least 30% of student body receives assistance with an average award of at least 50% of tuition (goal has been met or exceeded each year since 2007) In order to increase socio-economic diversity of our student body, established and maintained funding for an average of ten students a year in the Opportunity Grant Program -- highly-qualified and talented students who will be the first generation in their family to attend college and whose families qualify for a full-tuition award (12 Opportunity Grant graduates since 2014) Provide resources to send maximum allowed number of students to the Student Diversity Leadership Conference and cohort of faculty members to the companion People of Color Conference (PRS annually sends the maximum number) Ensure resources for faculty, student, and community DEI education each year Funded Director of Community and Inclusion position as full-time leadership position (Parttime position since 2015)
ON DECK • • •
• •
Grow the fund and endowment for Opportunity Grant program Fund Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) “No Place for Hate” program in 2020-2021 Fund programming for two highly experienced and well-respected diversity consultants to work with students, faculty, parents, and Board in 2020-21 Determine optimal level of funding for tuition assistance program and Opportunity Grant program between 2021 and 2026 Continue to fund affinity and alliance groups in the manner established by the Student Equity Advisory council in 2019
LEAD
Bob Ogle, Head of School
WORKING TEAM
Board of Trustees Susan Woods, Director of Community & Inclusion
INITIATIVE LEADS Many members of the Pacific Ridge community contributed to this plan and the diversity, equity, and inclusivity efforts that preceded it. If you have questions, please reach out to the initiative team leaders below.
Tim Betzala
Jenny Bjornstad
Dean of Faculty Tbetzala@pacificridge.org
Alfie Hobbs
Assistant Head of Upper School Ahobbs@pacificridge.org
Director of Enrollment Jbjornstad@pacificridge.org
Luke Michel
Head of Middle School Lmichel@pacificridge.org
Bob Ogle
John Comforto
Dean of Studies & Student Life Jcomforto@pacificridg.org
Head of School Bogle@pacificridge.org
Susan Woods
Director of Community & Inclusion Swoods@pacificridge.org
In a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility, and global engagement, Pacific Ridge School prepares students for college and a purposeful life.