By Jim Brewer, Head of School
Over the last four years, The McGillis School has been focused on examining our curriculum, policies, practices and other programs through an antiracist lens. Up to this point, our work included assessing our culture and climate, implementing new anti-racist curricula, and developing the capacity of our faculty and board to engage in anti-racist conversations and to intentionally dive into this important work.
This work has been led by Liz Paige, Director of Ethics and Community, with support from Melinda Kaufman, Lower School Director. They co-lead our Faculty Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) committee and are both members of the Board DEIB committee. We wanted to make you aware of a number of events related to this work that are coming up this spring. We hope you will join our upcoming “Community Conversations” to learn more about these topics, the progress McGillis is making, and to be part of creating a courageous community that is committed to anti-racism and anti-oppressive education.
Community Conversations: Dive into DEIB
Virtual Parent Education Series
Wednesday, March 23, 12:00-1:00 PM
The next Community Conversation in our virtual parent education series will be “Dive into DEIB” (Zoom link found in the community calendar). Join division directors and Liz Paige, Director of Ethics and Community, to reflect on your own identity, learn about the topics we’ve engaged in with our faculty and Board (i.e., implicit bias, white privilege, being an anti-racist educator), and hear about our antiracist curriculum.
Community Conversations: Parents of BIPOC Students
In-Person Parent Education Series
Tuesday, April 26 from 6:00-7:30 PM
Parents of BIPOC students (black, indigenous and people of color) are invited to an in-person event at the School hosted by Melinda Kaufman, Lower School Director, and Liz Paige, Director of Ethics and Community. BIPOC students and their families often experience the world in a different way from those who are part of the dominant culture, and we feel it is important to create a space for this group to come together. The goals of this evening include sharing feedback, ideas and resources for how the School can support BIPOC students, and to offer an opportunity for this group to connect and build relationships with each other. Childcare and a light dinner will be provided. Please RSVP (link provided in weekly Magpie Messenger) to let us know if you’re planning to attend and if you need childcare.
Community Conversations: Parents of White Ally Students
Virtual Parent Education Series
Tuesday, May 3 from 6:00-7:00 PM
Parents of white ally students are invited to join Liz Paige, Director of Ethics and Community, Melinda Kaufman, Lower School Director, and members of our Faculty DEIB committee to learn more about what it means to be anti-racist, how we can talk to our students about topics such as racism and privilege, and what we can do to support BIPOC students, families and communities.
Community Conversations: Raising Readers and Diverse Books
Virtual Parent Education Series
Wednesday, May 4, 12:00-1:00 PM
Our Community Conversation in our virtual parent education series will be “Raising Readers and Diverse Books” (Zoom link found in the community calendar). Join division directors and Heather Novotny, our librarian, to learn how to support your students as readers and in reading books that can serve as a “mirror” where they see themselves reflected in the pages of a book or a “window” into the lives and experiences of people different from themselves.
We hope you will be able to join us for these important conversations. If you have any questions or would like more information about any of these events, please contact Liz Paige or Melinda Kaufman.
learn more about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at McGillis