Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Plan

Written by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee of the Board of Trustees as part of our commitment to mean well, speak well, do well, and do better, the Glen Urquhart School DEI Plan was presented at our Annual Meeting on June 2, 2021.

 
 
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GUS People

GOAL: By 2026, GUS will increase the racial diversity of its students, faculty, staff, and trustees to better reflect the changing racial demographics of the secondary schools to which the school sends and the communities in which the school serves. The increased racial diversity will create a learning environment where all students benefit from exposure to others that are different from themselves. 

+ Admissions

  • 20% students of color by 2026
  • Admissions Office and Communications Office to create a DEI feasibility and marketing plan
    • Create annual report that details the racial diversity of the applicant pool, the acceptance rate, yield, and attrition data students of color

+ Hiring and Retention

  • 10% of faculty and staff of color by 2026
    • Complete a hiring policy and practice audit
    • Ensure each hiring search has at least one finalist of color
    • Develop relationships with organizations that support the development and recruitment of faculty and staff of color
    • Create pipelines for emerging teachers of color
    • Support hiring team with annual training
    • Revise evaluation process for hiring manager and supervisors to include reflection on recruitment and retention of faculty and staff of color
    • Identify local, regional, and national affinity group opportunities for faculty and staff of color

+ Board of Trustees and Parents

  • 25% of trustees of color by 2026
    • Revise COT dashboard to include racial diversity
    • Revise orientation of new trustees to include piece on board culture, expectations, and work in DEI
    • Mentoring program for new trustees
    • Annual DEI retreat and professional development plan for BOT
    • Trustee evaluation process that include reflection on DEI professional development and application in board work
  • Include DEI at GUS component to new family orientation
  • Parent Association to collaborate with Administration to create consistent DEI professional development opportunities for the greater GUS parent community
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GUS Program

GOAL: By 2026, GUS will have a curricular and co-curricular program that is anti-bias, anti-racist, and multicultural, supported by culturally responsive faculty and staff.

+ Curriculum

  • Visit 3-5 peer schools that have been working on curriculum integration
  • Mapping of curriculum (academic and social-emotional) pre-k-8 to develop inventory of content already in the curriculum
  • Develop scope and sequence of anti-bias, anti-racist, and multicultural curriculum

+ Co-curricular Activities

  • Create relationships with local social justice, religious, and cultural organizations in the North Shore to provide opportunities for student engagement (e.g. assembly speakers, service learning)
  • Regular attendance at local and regional student DEI themed conferences
  • Establish DEI themed student clubs, interest groups, and affinity spaces

+ Professional Development

  • Comprehensive DEI professional development plan that includes an annual dedicated day with outside speaker/consultant, funding for outside conferences and workshops, and regular opportunities facilitated by in-house faculty/staff
  • Revise faculty/staff evaluation to include mechanisms for reflection on DEI practice and individual goal-setting for professional development

GUS Policy

GOAL: By 2026, create, review, and/or revise policies and practices to ensure an equitable and inclusive school environment for students, families, faculty, and staff.

  • Revise DEI Statement to reflect GUS’ commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environment that is anti-bias and anti-racist and strives to graduate students who will affect change towards a more just society 

  • Conduct multicultural, anti-bias, and anti-racist audits of offices, classrooms, and common spaces 

  • Review and revise protocol for students and employees to report and manage incidents, bias, discrimination, and/or racism. 

  • Examine tuition and financial aid models to allow GUS to enroll students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and to provide those students with a complete student experience. Clarify to what degree FA will be used to increase the racial diversity of the school.  

  • Review the school calendar to ensure more equitable acknowledgment of and scheduling with consideration to cultural and religious holidays 

Questions?

If you have questions regarding this plan or any of the school’s DEI efforts, please contact Emily Rabinowitz-Buchanan, Assistant Head of School and Director of Lower School.