Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Justice.
In 1958, Sequoyah School’s founders envisioned a progressive school for a better world. Central to that vision was a dedication to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive educational environment. Today, Sequoyah School continues this journey within the planning, operation, and curriculum of the school.
This active and ongoing effort is essential to the pursuit and celebration of human dignity. It allows our students to become self-reflective, engaged community members able to participate in the authentic exchange of ideas and dialogue across differences.
We believe diversity – among students, families, faculty, staff, and administrators – enriches the learning environment at Sequoyah School. A diverse representation of identity, thought, and experience prepares our students to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the larger world.
Pillars of Practice
Drafted and adopted by the Board of Trustees in April 2021, our mission compels us to take responsibility for transforming ourselves and our systems with an anti-bias, anti-racist approach. This means that:
- We hold ourselves accountable for honest self-examination about our own explicit and implicit preconceptions and prejudices;
- We acknowledge the systemic nature of discrimination, oppression, and privilege and the way in which institutions, including independent schools like Sequoyah, have perpetuated systemic racism and inequities;
- We seek to disrupt and dismantle these barriers through our ongoing efforts to identify and understand inequities and disparities and by speaking out and taking action against injustice.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice are critical for this transformation, and they are essential to our effectiveness as an educational institution. Therefore, we commit to integrate the following pillars of practice throughout our curriculum, strategic priorities, and operational plans:
We believe diversity among students and families, faculty and staff, administration and leadership enriches the learning environment at Sequoyah. A diverse representation of identity, thought, and experience prepares our students to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the larger world.
Further Our Diverse Community
Sustain and cultivate the diversity and intersecting identities of the Sequoyah community: students and their families; staff, faculty, and administration; and the Board of Trustees, with an emphasis on meaningful representation of racial/ethnic and socioeconomically diverse populations that have been historically underrepresented in independent schools, including Sequoyah.
Pursue Equity
Pursue equity within the Sequoyah community, guided by our continuing study and application of the principles and practice of social justice within the larger world. This includes a focus on fair treatment, equal access to opportunity, and advancement for all members of our community as we strive to identify and eliminate barriers that hinder their ability to reach their full potential. Through our institutional actions, we aim to act in service of a more just and equitable society.
Foster a Culture of Inclusion
Create and practice an inclusive culture through the implementation of policies, practices and habits of mind that enable each person to experience a sense of belonging and relevance, to voice their own perspective and hear the perspectives of others, and to fully participate in the realization of Sequoyah’s mission.
What does DEIJ at Sequoyah School look like?
Our distributed DEIJ team works with a variety of colleagues and students to foster a school community where everyone can thrive and become their most whole selves. As you peek into a classroom, overhear a meeting, or participate in a field trip, you might see our DEIJ work come to life in these ways:
- Advanced high school literature classes such as “Coloring the Canon,” where students analyze re-imaginings of Greco-Roman Classics by Black authors.
- Junior High students creating identity portraits in order to better understand both themselves and the character from a book they’re reading.
- All-School Meetings where sixth graders present on the meaning of LGBTQ+ History month using scripts they wrote.
- K-1st grade students writing agreements to help the class collaborate respectfully throughout the year.
- Staff and parent volunteers throwing a celebratory auction fundraiser that is open and inclusive to all, regardless of socio-economic status.
- Our Field Studies team designing a curly hair guide to prepare students for camping trips.
Affinity Groups
We are grateful for the leadership of students, parents, and staff who convene our affinity groups across both campuses:
- Asian American / Pacific Islander
- Black / African Diaspora
- First-generation College Students
- Jewish
- Latinx / Hispanic Heritage
- LGBTQ+
- Mixed Race
- Neurodivergent
- Young Women of Strength
K-12 Anti-Bias Task Force Recommendations
In Fall 2023, the Board of Trustees appointed a group of staff and parents who were tasked with considering how Sequoyah School can better understand, prevent, and respond to incidents of harm that happen between or among
students and to improve the sense of belonging people feel in our community.
Out of a months-long process of reflection and discussion, the Task Force drafted and the Board of Trustees affirmed a comprehensive set of recommendations that now guide the school’s work not only around issues of incidents of harm, but also teaching and learning, various administrative functions, and more.
