Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

UPDATE

A comprehensive Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) update was published in November and is posted online at www.Westridge.org/DEI. Additional updates since that report are provided here.

A DEI OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN

ESTABLISHED to offer its perspective and input regarding the school’s actions and progress in meeting its DEI and anti-racist goals and to challenge the administration to pursue those goals intentionally and consistently. The Committee reports to the Board of Trustees and the head of school, and consists of 16 members from across the school’s constituencies (e.g. parents, students, alumnae, and faculty). Alumnae representatives include Alicia Henry ’01, Seema Ahmad ’99, and Maya Alvarez-Galvan ’88.

RECRUITING FOR A DIRECTOR OF EQUITY

launched in December and the school is currently interviewing candidates. The new director will join the school in July and be a member of the Westridge Leadership Team, reporting to the head of school.

Sheri Johnson, MA, M.Ed., MFT, joined the school as a PARTTIME COUNSELOR. She will be a resource for all students but brings training and experience in working with BIPOC populations to the school’s student support team.

Sheri Johnson Tamara Shahar Jaffe ’08 has been named DEAN OF LOWER AND

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT

VOICES, a new position in which she will coordinate the many aspects of student diversity work for Westridge’s lower and middle schools.

In March, an outside expert Tamara Shahar Jaffe ’08 will advance CULTURAL PROFICIENCY TRAINING of faculty to inform their work in LEADING A CURRICULUM REVIEW.

To ensure that a beloved tradition is accessible to all, JUNIOR RINGS WILL NOW BE PAID FOR BY THE SCHOOL. This follows several years of discussions about equity issues surrounding the rings, which are an important tradition and rite of passage at Westridge yet were not accessible to all students due to the personal expenditure required.

ALUMNAE AFFINITY GROUP activities are underway. Groups for Black, Latinx, and Asian American alumnae have met and are currently in different stages of formalization. Westridge has held listening sessions with different BIPOC alumnae groups and looks forward to keeping the conversation moving forward. To learn more, contact Director of Alumnae Affairs Lisa Vandergriff at lvandergriff@westridge.org.