Diversity, Equity,
and Inclusion

Develop a K-12 curriculum that is representative of the world, engages student voice, encourages immersive learning experiences and focuses on equitable opportunities for all people on an individual and systemic level.

SUCCESS: DEI ONBOARDING FOR STUDENTS

Established in Fall 2020, students entering Grades 7-12 experienced an immersive DEI onboarding program during their orientation week at the start of the school year. The program introduced and defined the eight major social identifiers (ability, ethnicity, gender identity, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status). In advisories, students discussed the significance of embracing one’s identity at school and how our Quaker values speak directly to that part of our school’s mission. Each grade level submitted topics of interest for the year’s upcoming student-led programming and shared ideas for student groups.

SUCCESS: SUSTAINED DIALOGUE FRAMEWORK

Through our Quaker Student Life Program, a framework for "Sustained Dialogues" supports students in leading critical conversations. Our “Sustained Dialogues” program is inspired by the work of the Sustained Dialogue Institute and was codified by Dr. Harold Saunders, an American Diplomat who has worked on many peace treaties since the 1970s. Our program aims to amplify the voices of students as they explore how to sustain ongoing conversations about topics of interest - in our classrooms, in our curriculums, and in our extra-curricular programs. They are taught how to pose essential questions and lead a dialogue amongst their peers about a meaningful conversation topic.

GOAL: DEI CURRICULUM FILTER

Teachers use a lens through which they can plan and reflect on the integration of DEI goals of their curriculum across all disciplines. Guiding queries such as "Is it timely?", "Are you focusing on the 'how' (instead of the 'what')?", and "Is it integrated, open to all, and inquiry-based?" provide opportunities to thoughtfully create an inclusive experience for all students and families while ensuring mission alignment in all we do.

GOAL: HUMANITIES CURRICULUM REVIEW

During the 2021-22 school year, national experts and practitioners will partner with our English and history faculty to conduct a curricular review of Humanities across all divisions. The external review process creates ongoing dialogue and assessment of our curriculum, approach, pathways, and opportunities for development and change.  The process culminates in an in-depth co-constructed report which includes accolades, ongoing questions and considerations, and suggestions for revisions, improvements, and elevation of our Humanities program. 

Provide both divisional and all-school family programs that invite cultural exchanges and provide supportive, public learning among all participating community members.

SUCCESS: THREE ALL-SCHOOL CULTURAL EXCHANGES

Beginning in 2019, we began hosting three annual All-School family cultural exchanges – Holidays with Friends, FAmily Night, and the Caring Community Dinner. These programs ground themselves in storytelling, community-building, and performances of all kinds with the aim of uplifting and amplifying the voices and experiences of our students and families. Read more about each of these programs. 

SUCCESS: DEI FAMILY SUMMER SERIES

In Summer 2020, we hosted our first DEI Family Summer Series, opening the door to our community's onboarding for DEI-focused learning. Designed and led by Camille S. Edwards, we: 1) introduced and defined what the domains of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice mean to us in our Quaker school, 2) explored the benefits of approaching DEI learning with a growth mindset, and 3) defined ways in which the partnership between faculty and family strengthens our school community.

SUCCESS: DEIJ PARENT GROUP

In Winter 2020, a DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) Parent Group was formed. Our DEIJ Parent Group welcomes parents of all identity backgrounds across our divisions. The group’s primary focus is on parent engagement through community education surrounding matters of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our Quaker school. For questions about how to join this group, please contact: camille_edwards@fa.org.

PROGRESS: STUDENT AFFINITY AND ALLIANCE GROUPS

Our Quaker mission guides us to ensure that each individual’s inner light shines brightly, so we have created affinity groups to further reinforce every individual students’ sense of belonging. Affinity groups for students in independent schools are very common and can become an integral part of any student’s experience in an independent school. Friends Academy has a history with affinity groups dating back the 1990s.

Affinity Groups are optional places of gathering for students who share a social identifier with one another (e.g. gender, language, race, etc.) and place a focus on positive identity 1) formation, 2) affirmation, and 3) exploration. Affinity groups create emotionally comfortable spaces where students can share common experiences and be in the community of others when developing a stronger sense of self.

Alliance Groups at Friends Academy are open-membership groups that welcome students of all backgrounds and identities. Alliance Groups focus on allyship, awareness, and advocacy. We have student alliances across our school community. 

Read more about our Affinity and Alliance Groups.

Engage in ongoing professional development experiences focused on equity, inclusion, social action, and the increased awareness and active mitigation of bias.

SUCCESS: REQUIRED ANTI-BIAS TRAINING

Since 2019, all faculty and staff have been required to participate in an annual anti-bias professional development session as a part of our ongoing education. Since 2019, we have completed the Implicit Bias Training Modules Series from the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity and will continue to require this training for all new faculty and staff in their onboarding professional development experience. Each year, we seek a training experience that is mission-aligned and relevant to our community’s learning.

2019-2020: Kirwan Institute: Implicit Bias Training Module Series (September 2019)

2020-2021: Liza A. Talusan, Ph.D., “Addressing Implicit Bias in our Daily Interactions” (April 2021)

SUCCESS: ONGOING FACULTY & STAFF EDUCATION

During the 2020-21 school year, faculty and staff have participated in a community book study and regular DEI professional development sessions. This year, we are reading, Mindful of Race by Ruth King. Our DEI sessions offer formal professional development training (e.g. implicit bias), create space for spotlighting student experiences, offer colleagues tools for uplifting our DEI efforts/initiatives (e.g., supporting students in identity-focused learning), and setting time aside for honest conversations with our colleagues about our community.

SUCCESS: DEI ONBOARDING FOR NEW COLLEAGUES

All new faculty and staff members engage in a DEI onboarding training experience with our Director of DEI where they learn about what diversity, equity and inclusion means to our Quaker school community and how to partner with our DEI office from their various areas of purview in our school. The onboarding begins with a discussion on the foundations of Quakerism and Quaker education, and how DEI work is linked to the Quaker testimony of equality/equity. New colleagues are introduced to our shared principles for how we approach DEI efforts/initiatives, have an opportunity to learn more about one another’s identities and experiences, and also are enrolled in the upcoming year’s DEI-specific goals and strategic plans for action.

PROGRESS: THE ALLIES GROUP

Formed in Summer 2020, the Allies Group works to prioritize colleague-led DEI learning as it relates to allyship and advocacy. Colleagues of all identity backgrounds are welcomed into the group to publicly learn about how to explore, define, articulate, and demonstrate their allyship and advocacy as adult community members in our Quaker school. The group prioritizes honest, sustained dialogues about topics of utmost importance and great value based on our Quaker mission.

Expand hiring practices to identify, recruit and retain diverse educators. Evaluate and revise practices around training opportunities, screening, interviews, campus visit days, reference checks, candidate experience

SUCCESS: STRATEGIC PLAN RECRUITING & RETENTION COMMITTEE

The Strategic Plan Recruiting & Retention Committee (a key goal in "Realizing the Promise Within") was formed to advance the recruitment, hiring, and retention of a diverse and talented faculty and staff. The committee examines recruitment strategies, hiring practices, and the approaches to retention adopted by our school.

PROGRESS: REVIEW INTERVIEW PROCESS

The Recruiting & Retention Committee is reviewing the interview process to ensure it is consistent and that all hiring teams undergo anti-bias training. The Committee is working to standardize hiring practices with respect to job postings, the screening process, the interview process, and visit days. Additionally, Friends Academy has increased and varied its candidate sourcing partners and has created a tracking process to better understand success in partnering with faculty placement firms. 

Cultivate authentic community engagement efforts that focus on relationship building and partnership, as it relates to crucial conversations surrounding equality, equity, and justice. 

SUCCESS: IDENTITY-FOCUSED STUDENT GROUPS

As of the Summer of 2020, a collection of Upper School student groups were re-introduced to our Quaker Student Life Program as alliance groups associated with the Diversity Committee. See the full list under "Alliance Groups."

Each group represents specific lenses of identity that students wanted to create cultural awareness and education around for the Upper School student community. Collectively, they represent our students leading the work of building an inclusive school community through cultural competency learning efforts in our Quaker school. Identity-focused student groups can be created by any student in our Upper School community. 

GOAL: NEW STUDENT LIFE MODEL

Throughout the next two years, we will examine our current student life model, including the all-school dean model and a Quaker Practice through Community Engagement (QPCE) team to ensure full integration of DEI work in discipline, service learning, health and wellness, curriculum, and programming.