Yet-to-be-named Head of School Newsletter

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THIS NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL NEWSLETTER NEEDS A NAME! CLICK HERE TO VOTE.

NOVEMBER 2020

IN THIS ISSUE 04

From the Desk of Dr. Autumn A. Graves

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Video: What's Next for DEI?

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Timeline of DEI: Select Highlights from 2011-2020

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Student, Faculty and Staff Diversity Statistics

10

Booth Family Speaks Series: Ibram X. Kendi

11

Parent Pulse Survey Results

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FROM THE DESK OF DR. AUTUMN A. GRAVES DEAR ST. ANNE'S-BELFIELD COMMUNITY, I?m four months into my tenure at our School, and each day I learn something new about our people, program, and traditions. It?s been an extraordinary beginning and I long to have more in-person conversations with each of you. Since I am unable to have the number of in-person conversations I wish to have, I am choosing this medium to share with you the work I am leading at our School. You are reading the inaugural edition of a quarterly newsletter where I focus on some aspect of our community.

In light of the current challenges our society faces as it relates to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), I think it best for me to focus my first newsletter on this mission critical subject.

St. Anne?s-Belfield has been devoted to diversity for many years.

Our board of trustees adopted our Diversity and Inclusion Statement in 2016 (p. 5) and adopted additional DEI-specific goals in our Strategic Plan 2017-2022. Each day my colleagues aspire to educate our students to become exemplary citizens and visionary leaders (p. 6-7). And while some efforts have been made to accomplish these strategic goals, we have come to a moment when we need to become more intentional and specific (video, p. 5).

My hope is that we continue to grow as an inclusive community, for 04

we know that a sense of belonging is critical to a child?s development. It creates the fertile soil for young people to explore the boundaries of their minds and the world. As we go about this work together, I hope we will grow more excellent as a community, one in which every student may reflect on their St. Anne?s experience and feel that overall sense of belonging.

I would like you to know that your sense of belonging and perspective is also important to me. Yes, as it relates to DEI, but also to the multifaceted aspects of your relationship to the School. I will be reaching out to students, alumni, parents, teachers, and staff to get your input and advice throughout my tenure (see parent survey, p. 10). I hope that when I do, you will answer that call.

Be well, Dr. Autumn A. Graves Head of School P.S. I am launching this newsletter without a title in hopes you will help me name it! I welcome your votes by clicking here.

DEMOGRAPHICS Growing our student, faculty, and staff diversity in objective ways.

FINANCIAL AID Carefully examining our model to make sure students can fully enjoy the St. Anne's-Belfield experience.

CURRICULUM Making our curriculum more inclusive to help us be a more academically rigorous and excellent school.

POLICIES Re-imagining our existing policies and procedures with an eye on access for all famlies.

Statement on Diversity and Inclusion The St. Anne?s-Belfield School community isunited in itscommitment to diversity and inclusion, both asa moral imperative and an essential part of our educational promise, for we knowthat the most enduring teaching and learning happensin an environment where everyone? student, teacher, staff member, parent, alumnus/a, and friend of the School? feelssafe, valued and known. We believe our studentswill live their most fulfilling, rewarding, and purposeful liveswhen they include everyone equitably in any endeavor and embrace difference asan opportunity to learn, grow, and improve the human condition for all. We expect our studentswill leave useager to learn about and from the uniquenessof others, to recognize our commonalities, and to have the courage and skills to speak out against actionsthat compromise anyone?shuman dignity.

TIMELINE AND EVOLUTION OF DEI

2016 School adopts Statement on Diversity and Inclusion (p. 4)

2011-16 Strategic Plan calls for the School to "more deliberately foster an ethos of inclusion, integrity, civility, compassion, and kindness."

2015 Dr. Sugata Mitra visits as part of the Booth Family Inspiration Speaks series

School gains membership to National Alliance of Black School Education (NABSE) 2014-16 Consultants from Stanley H. King Institute, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, Creative Catalyst Consulting, Diversity Training Group, and UVA Darden School work with faculty, parents, students, and trustees.

2015 5-8 begins Humanities curriculum revision and review of core texts Review of Life Skills sequence for 4-8 Curation of K-8 library resources Committee on Diversity and Inclusion formed, made up of faculty, parents, administrators and board members

CORE VALUES: Integrity, Curiosity, Diversity, Creativity, Agency, Impact 06

SELECT HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2011-2020 2017-22 Strategic Plan calls for the School to "build a faculty and administration that reflects the diversity of our student body and broader community; seize every teachable moment in regards to kindness, inclusion, and civility, no matter the time and circumstance; and integrate empathy, awareness, and respect for differences into every classroom and course in explicit and measurable ways."

2017 Faculty and staff begin regularly attending NAIS People of Color Conference

First Black Student Union created School hosts Erika Christakis 2017 Two Quest programs explore the Unite the Right hate events of August 2017

2018 Residence Life hosts Rosetta Lee K-4 begins social studies redesign Identity work built intentionally into K-4 grade curriculum

Summer 2020 DEI Team conducts Town Hall Listening Meetings with students, parents, and young alumni of color

2019 DEI Team created, providing two new positions to support initiatives

Upper School adds Academic and Learning Support Specialist to help approach support through a DEI lens Ongoing curriculum revisions in all divisions

2020 Jen Cort, Stanley H. King Institute provide professional development to faculty and staff for addressing difficult conversations and listening skills in School Book Clubs for "White Fragility" and "New Kid" 5-8 faculty participate in Side By Side professional development

WHAT'S NEXT? CURRICULAR GOALS Continue reviewing equity, access, identity and belonging in our academics. Map and identify gaps in curriculum.

Examine ?hidden curriculum:? assessment, social capital, and support Look into financial support for extra programming: Summer programs, after school enrichment, ski club, etc.

Board of Trustees creates Inclusive Excellence subcommittee Created curricular goals and established regular checkpoints with academic leaders

STUDENT DIVERSITY 632

888

08

FACULTY AND STAFF DIVERSITY Faculty* and Staff Ethnicity Ethnicity

Position Type

%

Asian

Administrative

0.47%

Facilities & Dining

4.21%

Faculty

0.47%

Administrative

2.80%

Facilities & Dining

7.01%

Faculty

2.34%

Administrative

0%

Facilities & Dining

1.40%

Faculty

1.40%

Administrative

0.47%

Facilities & Dining

1.40%

Faculty

0.47%

Administrative

0%

Facilities & Dining

0%

Faculty

1.87%

Administrative

23.36%

Facilities and Dining

5.61%

Faculty

46.73%

Black

Latinx/Hispanic

Not Reported

Two or More Races

White *Faculty positions include full and part time teachers, long term substitutes, assistant teachers, teaching aides, interns, fellows, and instructional support (learning specialists, counselors, librarians)

Total Faculty and Staff

214

BOOTH FAMILY INSPIRATION SPEAKS

"This is a moment for our students to practice becoming exemplary citizens: Questioning; being curious; disagreeing in a respectful way; caring about your impact; and utilizing your agency." ? Dr. Autumn A. Graves

Each year St. Anne's-Belfield hosts a community speaker to promote lifelong learning and prompt us to rigorously reconsider some of our personal and intellectual understandings. I hope you will consider attending this year's speaker, Professor Ibram X. Kendi, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Professor Kendi, as many know, started talking about the idea of being an antiracist several years ago. As an African-American man, he was very clear that he himself had some racist tendencies, including against other black people. The central argument of his various works is that it's not good enough to be to say, "I'm not a racist," but it's necessary to continuously strive towards being an "antiracist."

I am excited to say that I am co-leading an evening book club for Upper School students with humanities teacher Jordan Taylor. We're diving into Professor Kendi's book, "How To Be An Antiracist," to figure out what we agree with, what we disagree with, and what resonates with us in our own lives. Those students will then formulate questions and they are the ones who will interview the author during the Zoom.

To me, this interactive experience between our students and Professor Kendi really ties to our core purpose. This is a moment for our students to practice becoming exemplary citizens: Questioning; being curious; disagreeing in a respectful way; caring about your impact; and utilizing your agency. We are going to practice all of those values with our students, and I hope many of you will choose to participate as well.

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REGISTER AT BIT.LY/KENDI-ST-ANNES (click here for link)

PARENT PULSE SURVEY RESULTS

Online parent responses: 35 On campus parent responses: 316 Total responses: 351* out of 614 total families *Multiple responses per family possible

GOAL: 75% PARTICIPATION Next Survey: Nov. 5, 2020

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