Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI)
ARE AT THE HEART OF WESTMARK'S MISSION.
Our students learn differently, our teachers teach differently, and as a result, all of
our students have equal access to curriculum and programming.

Students, faculty, staff, and families bring more than learning differences to Westmark. Our community is diverse economically, racially, ethnically, religiously, and in sexual orientation.

Our commitment is to embrace individual identity and ensure that everyone in our community feels welcome and has equal access to the best we have to offer.

Westmark's DEI leadership team work closely with our Teachers, Advisors, Administrators, Curriculum Team, and School Counselors to integrate multicultural practices into our classrooms, and overall school culture. Our work with both students, teachers and leadership positively impacts our community, promoting awareness of identity, equity, and inclusion across grade levels and throughout our community.

Central to preparing students for their futures is teaching them how to become responsible members of society. To succeed in this endeavor, students need to understand their own identities and the identities of others. At Westmark, we embed diversity work into the culture of the school so students can develop a strong self-concept by understanding and analyzing their own culture while learning to interact and relate with respect to other individuals, students and cultural groups.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FACULTY & ADMINISTRATION

CURRICULUM

CURRICULUM
Following DEI training for teachers, faculty integrate lessons into the curriculum as well as into our Advisory program, providing the tools and strategies needed to help students become thoughtful, responsible citizens. Teachers are able to use DEI best practices, strategies and approaches to foster empathy and reflection, improve students’ academic performance, to help build a safe and inclusive school community.

AFFINITY GROUPS AND CLUBS ON CAMPUS

LOWER SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

AFFINITY GROUPS AND CLUBS ON CAMPUS
Affinity groups provide a “safe space” to explore issues of shared identity, experience and affirm emotional and intellectual responses, reduce isolation, discomfort, and marginalization, and embrace different parts of one’s identity.
Westmark’s DEI efforts have resulted in the development of many different affinity groups and clubs for both Middle and Upper School students. The groups and clubs in turn provide a safe and supportive space for students to explore social justice topics, discuss identity, and learn perspective-taking while developing critical thinking and social-emotional skills. As students reflect on identity and current events, they learn how to make a difference through self-advocacy and allyship. Student clubs and affinity groups include:

● Social Justice Club ● Black Student Union (BSU)● LGBTQ ● Young Feminists ● Culture Club

BIG LION, LITTLE LION MENTOR PROGRAM

BIG LION, LITTLE LION MENTOR PROGRAM
Big Lion, Little Lion is Westmark’s mentor program for our students of color in Lower, Middle and Upper School. Moderated by members of our DEI leadership team, Big Lion, Little Lion pairs Upper School students of color with Lower and/or Middle School students of color. Through arts, crafts and games, mentors provide guidance and shared experiences in a safe environment discussing issues related to identity and diversity.

NAIS STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (NAIS PEOPLE OF COLOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE)
Each year, a group of Upper School students attends the NAIS 4-day People of Color Student Diversity Leadership Conference, an international gathering of 1,600 high school student leaders from across the globe. During the multiracial and multicultural meeting, students have the opportunity to develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles. Upon their return to campus, our students lead assemblies and activities incorporating what they learned at the conference to educate fellow students and lead our Social Justice Club.

ASSEMBLIES

RESOURCES

We have curated a list of resources that we hope will facilitate ongoing dialogue with your children regarding the important social justice issues facing our country and our world today. We encourage you to use these resources to continue your children's education surrounding the importance of understanding multiple perspectives and the the power of positive action.

The curated list below features resources in many formats for your reference and use during these last weeks of summer. We hope these resources -- from webinars and articles to short videos, documentaries, and books -- provide guidance for conversations with your children.

WEBINARS:

Embrace Race Website

ARTICLES:

Helping Children Cope with Frightening News (Childmind Institute)
George Floyd, Racism and Law Enforcement Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events (ADL)
Anti-Bias Tools & Strategies (ADL)
7 Ways to Support the Young Activists in Your Life! (Embrace Race)
16 ways to help children become thoughtful, informed, and BRAVE about race (Embrace Race)
Explaining the News to Our Kids (Common Sense Media - by age level)
Affirming Black Lives without Inducing Trauma (Teaching Tolerance)
Talking to Children After Racial Incidences (Howard Stevenson)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story About Racial Injustice (Marianne Celano PhD, Marietta Collins PhD, Ann Hazard PhD)
Social Justice Book List: Teaching for Change Project Website(more than 60 carefully selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children and young adults).
Talking to Kids About Racism, Early and Often; These books can help start the conversation. (NY Times)

CHILDREN'S TV SHOW: