Post #10: The Now and The Next
The Now. This has been a productive, but somber, week for me personally. I am thrilled by the progress already made by our "sprint teams" (project groups) towards reopening in person this fall, and yet I am crestfallen by the events regarding the deaths of African-American citizens at the hands of law enforcement across the country, culminating in the recent death of George Floyd. And I have been saddened by the feelings of helplessness that have followed...
Then I was awestruck by these words from my pastor in a recent email:
It is time to refuse to accept our own indifference ("It's not my problem"), claims of innocence ("I'm not a racist"), minimizing the issue ("All lives matter") and willful helplessness ("There's nothing I can do").
Of course, WE as members of a school community are not helpless. Legendary educator John Dewey stated, "The object of a democratic education is not merely to make an individual an intelligent participant in the life of [their] immediate group, but to bring the various groups into such constant interaction that no individual, no economic group, could presume to live independently of others." Dewey's words fit nicely alongside our mission statement, which calls us to educate engaged students who embrace personal responsibility, global perspective, and service to others. We are all one interdependent tribe, with each member personally responsible for the success of all of us as a peaceful and thriving democratic society. One of our core beliefs states; “We believe that our students should be instilled with the values of interdependency and respect and responsibility for self and others.”
To that end, Prep has much room for growth in the work of diversity, inclusion, and equity--in developing cultural competencies in our faculty, staff and graduates. I base my opinion on years of work in this area at my previous school and knowing the work being done within the National Association of Independent Schools.
Effective immediately, I empowered our Global Connections Program Coordinator, Tara Chokshi, to assemble a new cultural competency "sprint team" to start work this summer, and in my mind the work involves:
1. Crafting Prep's web page regarding diversity and inclusion.
2. Developing new programs to support students and families of color (or other affinity groups).
3. Planning faculty training after Mrs. Chokshi attends the online NAIS Diversity Leadership Institute later this month.
4. Planning student attendance (likely online) at the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference this fall and empowering them to lead work with our Middle School kids when they return.
5. Doubling down on curriculum review with our Curriculum Oversight Committee to ensure that all our students see themselves in the Prep curriculum.
6. Working with Dr. Kara Deaner on integration of student training in this area into the existing Olweus Bullying Prevention program.
Next month, my communication will focus on The Next, our work to reopen school in August.
Augusta Preparatory Day School
Augusta Preparatory Day School is an independent, college preparatory school serving children ages 2 through Grade 12 from the greater Augusta-Aiken area. Augusta Prep seeks to enroll a group of diverse students. We follow an open admission policy, whereby qualified candidates are admitted without regard to religion, race, nationality, economic background, or ethnic origin.
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