Actions for Equity

• Germantown Friends School is dedicated to reaching that of God in every person. Our mission is to seek truth, challenge the intellect, honor differences, embrace the city, and nurture each student’s mind, body and spirit.  
   
• This Mission Statement is an expression of our belief in the divine in each person. 
   
• Our Mission Statement does not allow us to rest. The challenge is continual, and we are called to approach antiracism in new ways.
   
• We are clear and unequivocal that Black Lives Matter to all of us at GFS.  We fully affirm the value of Black humanity. We are in solidarity with the Black community at GFS and in our nation. 
   
• We are committed to working holistically and collaboratively toward sustaining anti-racism efforts. We are committed to translating our Quaker values into our school culture, pedagogy and curriculum, school systems and processes, and individual interactions with students. 
   
• We are building on our anti-racism, anti-bias and inclusion/belonging work, and have identified areas of growth and strategic recommendations for immediate and short term actions, and longer term initiatives.
   
• The proposed action items, guided by our testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equity, and Stewardship, were designed to be systemic and sustainable. We are working to increase anti-racism education and intercultural proficiencies among all members of our community: students, faculty, staff, parents and caregivers, and the School Committee.

Students, faculty and staff of African descent, indeed all students, faculty, and staff belonging to minoritized identity groups must find themselves in a respectful and loving community. Allies and accomplices must be practiced in showing love and admiration for one another, too.

1. Reporting, Allyship, and Accountability
   • Established a student/faculty team that includes a representative of DEI Office to review and adjudicate reports of student-to-student racially based bias, discrimination, and microaggressions (fall 2020)
   • Established and shared clear processes, consequences, and protocols for any individual found to have committed bias or discriminatory acts (fall 2020)
   • Established and shared a clear process for reporting incidents of racially based bias, discrimination, and microaggressions (fall 2020)
   • Reviewed HR processes and protocols to ensure that the consequences of committing racially discriminatory or biased acts towards colleagues or students are clear and consistent
   • Ensured that all members of the community understand that racist remarks, actions, and behaviors will not be tolerated.
2. Policy Review
   • Audited all handbooks and policies to ensure anti-racism and anti-discrimination statements are clear and complete (summer 2020)
   • In the case of teaching primary textual sources with the “N” word, students and teachers will not read that word aloud. Further, in advance of teaching said text, teachers will consult with the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and others, as appropriate, to consider best practices.
   • All GFS employees must read and acknowledge anti-racism and cultural proficiency commitment statements.

We believe that all members of our community have a unique responsibility to learn about bias and racism in a manner that is not merely academic but creates opportunities for personal reflection and self-examination and cultivates genuine investment in creating a welcoming, inclusive school. Our work is differentiated as appropriate. It is also sustained, annual, and required for all. Supporting children in diversity work across the ages 2-18 looks different than the work supporting adults. Further, the work for white people is often distinct from the work for people of color. Working together inter-racially is also vital to building a healthy trusting community. Therefore, while all members of the School Committee, faculty/staff, and students will be required to engage in anti-racist education, not all programming will be the same.

1. Faculty and Staff
   • All faculty and staff must complete professional development in the area of race every two years. This is outside of internal professional development and the annual Multicultural Resource Center at ADVIS workshop
   • All members of Administration participated in a yearlong Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) program during the 2020-21 academic year, and are required to renew their antiracist education annually; new members of Administration are required to join SEED or a similar program.
   • Continue cultural competency workshops launched in the fall of 2019 through the yearlong mentoring program for new faculty/staff.
   • Include “Looking Deeper at Race” as part of onboarding and orientation for new faculty/staff.
   • Expand access to Intergroup Dialogue, Critical Friends Groups, and Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) training for all faculty and staff.
      
2. Students
   • Use Community Time in MS and US for Implicit Bias and Microaggression education
   • Provide additional co-curricular equity and inclusion opportunities for all students, such as People of Color Student Diversity Leadership Conference, Mid Atlantic Regional Diversity Conference, Unity Days)
   • Required Dialogue/Unity Days/Teach-in days in LS, MS, and US
      
3. School Committee (our Board)
   • Participate in annual anti-racist training (all members)
   • Training is a part of onboarding new members
      
4. Parents/Caregivers and Community/Neighbors
   • Introduced plan for training opportunities in antiracism at Parents Association orientation (fall 2020)
   • Provide SEED training for parents 
   • Develop a Community and Family/Caregiver Anti-Racist and Quaker Education Program  
   • Develop Community and Family/Caregiver opportunities for Intergroup Dialogue

• Lower School Anti-Racism Curriculum (ARC) and racial affinity group conversations will be expanded to third and fourth graders (modeled after the fifth grade pilot)
• New required African American History course will be launched in fall 2021; For the intervening 20-21 school year, our African American History spring elective will be offered.
• Continued curriculum review and revisions to bolster anti-racism and DEI content across all divisions, building off survey of DEI at GFS in the spring of 2018
• Launch MS Anti-Racist Curriculum (developmentally aligned) 
• Middle School Diversity Committee (MSDC); establish MS Junior Diversity Ambassadors program
• Develop robust anti-racism/DEI co-curricular education in MS & US
• Continued piloting Grading for Equity standards (with substantive professional development in 2020-21, first policy modifications to be instituted in fall 2021)
• Require evaluators to comment on teacher work in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion. At present, the DEI component of our Teacher Evaluation Plan, along with other aspects of non-classroom, community-life based points for evaluation, are not required points of commentary.

• Review and remake public and classroom spaces, starting with the Front Hall, to reflect, represent, and celebrate Black life and inclusiveness throughout campus
   
• Continue to patronize Minority-Owned Businesses: contractors, consultants and vendors
   
• Support building solidarity across anti-racist identity groups at GFS
   
• Anti-racism/cultural competency training for student leaders - all diversity ambassadors; student leaders; student council (spring 2021)
   
• Students added to Diversity Committees as participants in decision making about DEI programming and follow up on anti-racism actions as outlined below 
   
• Reengage Faculty and Staff Climate Advisory Group to the Head of School
   
• Establish student advisory groups to partner with Head of School, DEI Office, and Communications (invite leaders of affinity groups and Student Council)

1. Recruitment and Retention of Faculty and Staff of Color
   • GFS-hosted Diversity Recruitment Fair (now in year 3; expand and include specific recruitment of teacher candidates and educators at HBCUs)
   • Continue to use top recruitment firms to support sourcing of diverse candidates; attend diversity recruitment fairs outside of GFS
   • Establish a need-based fund to support the pursuit of continuing education and advanced degrees, prioritizing issues of racial justice and inclusion
   • Continued and intentional pathway for people of color to leadership positions
      
2. Recruitment and Retention of Students of Color

• Provide support for the Director of Diversity Recruitment to enhance our relationships and community partnerships that yield increased admission for Black and otherwise diverse applicant pool
• Review Admissions goals, marketing efforts, and measurements of success to pursue enrollment of Black students and those of African descent
• Increase financial aid budget (tuition and non-tuition support) to improve socio-economic diversity, thereby supporting incoming Black students for whom tuition is a barrier to entry
• As possible, expand and formalize Alumni of Color mentor program; providing training for mentors and expanding the number of mentors
• Review and strengthen retention practices, with a focus on Black students, using exit interviews and input from current students/families.

1. Recruitment and Retention of School Committee Members
   • Seek diverse candidates, including but not limited to People of Color
   • Seek representation of African Americans serving as co-opted members on committees and working groups of School Committee

1. Continue to hold Community Conversations (open listening sessions) throughout the year with students, parents, faculty/staff, alumni, and neighbors
2. Share annual DEI report that will be distributed to the GFS community, including School Committee, faculty and staff, parents, students, and alumni

At Germantown Friends School, we believe that every young person deserves access to an inclusive athletics program and community, yet we know that that is not always the case locally, within our country, and across the world. We share this belief and hope with our peer schools within the Friends Schools League (FSL): Abington Friends, Academy of New Church, Friends' Central, Friends Select, George School, Moorestown Friends, Shipley School, and Westtown. Today, I am pleased to share a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan created as a collaboration between these nine partners.

In the summer of 2020, the FSL Equity and Anti-Racism Steering Committee came together and identified goals to bring about equity, justice, inclusion, and anti-racism within athletics. In fall 2020, subcommittees comprised of passionate and thoughtful league athletic administrators and DEI experts identified action items and began working on bringing this work to life.

Committee details are included in this memo from the league, with highlights including:

· Student Engagement: Charged with amplifying the voices of student-athletes across FSL member schools to help inform Athletic Directors with initiatives that are representative of the students’ experiences.

· Coaches Coalition: A space to connect coaches of color with one another while seeking ways to support growth and future opportunities.

· Internship Programs for Increasing Access and Opportunity: A group that creates partnerships with surrounding colleges and universities to increase opportunities for equitable representation of People of Color in decision making positions in the field of sport.

· Bias Incident Reporting and Accountability: Help provide clear protocols for a transparent process for reporting and responding to incidents of bias that occur within the FSL.

· Professional Development: Build opportunities for the development of student-athletes, coaches and administrators within the FSL that reinforce the mission of the league while promoting continued growth and education in areas of Equity and Inclusion.

View FSL Report