Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The NCCL School Equity Statement
It is with no question that private schools have functioned as predominantly white institutions for decades and continue to do so. At NCCL School, we lack diversity in our staff and student body. This has led to an absence of racial and cultural diversity on all levels: in our school community, curriculum, perspectives and practices. The time for change is now.
At NCCL School, we hold true to our philosophy of Progressive Education and our school’s mission,“we strive to empower every student with the skills and confidence to tackle the unknown and positively impact the world.” We are dedicated to charging our mission and invigorating a reflective and responsive school culture. We are committing to developing our bicultural knowledge in order to implement truly diverse, inclusive, and equitable practices. We must first work internally to execute this mission.
Beginning in May 2023, we enrolled in a program with Dr. Taryn Fletcher, a culturally responsive teaching expert who has led initiatives and transformed numerous schools and community organizations. All 14 of our team members engaged in a full day retreat, where we assessed our readiness and what it would look like for our school to prioritize and center the perspectives of historically excluded groups and communities. Starting Fall 2023, four of our teachers will work with a diverse group of educators to help build their culturally responsive teaching practices. We continue to use Dr. Fletcher’s book In All Lanes which has laid the foundation for ongoing professional learning. This will continue to be a guide for our overall transformation.
This year we launched a DEI committee made up of parents and staff who are focused on gathering resources that help us highlight the specific needs of our school community. This team has created a digital resource library located below. We invite the entire NCCL School community to join us on this journey of reflection and growth by encouraging families to read Dr. Fletcher’s book In All Lanes, engage in our resources, and help us strengthen our mission to evolve into a secure and nourishing learning environment for all.
updated 10/25/2023.
In All Lanes presents rich ideas about what’s broken in our school systems that even 20-year veteran leaders would have never considered. This book is a relatable and transformative resource that is packed with doable, concise, and easily implemented action steps that will help you build a bicultural learning environment.
You may purchase and read In All Lanes by clicking here.
To read more about Dr. Fletcher's work, click here.
Resources
Black Boys in White Spaces (3 min read)
A mother's reflection on what white parents can be discussing with their children.
The Danger of a Single Story (18min video)
If only hear a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
Taking Multicultural , Anti-Racist Education Seriously (5 min read)
"Equipping students, parents, and teachers with the tools needed to combat racism and ethnic discrimination, and to find ways to build a society that includes all people on an equal footing."
Everyone From the Tea Party to Immingrant Rights Groups Wants a Piece of Dr. King (30 min listen)
NPR's Code Switch podcast features author Hajar Yazdiha, who speaks on how politics transforms our memory of Dr. King and his legacy.
Decolonizing the Classroom (3 min read)
"...those interested in decolonizing the classroom must take a first, crucial step: a personal commitment to political change. To deny the racial nature of politics (and power)—both inside of and surrounding the classroom—is to perpetuate the inequities created by colonization."
Disrupting Texts as a Restorative Practice (3 min read)
"Talking about racism will mean that we have to admit to the ways in which it manifests itself in our curricular and instructional choices, about the voices we value and those we have not, even if unintentionally. But intention does not excuse impact."