Equity & Social Impact
Finding your voice is a process that requires meaningful collaboration and empathy within a community.
Drew's inclusive community is made up of diverse people and allows every single person to show up and be their authentic selves. Equity and social impact work at Drew fosters an environment in which equity and respect for others are core and where you can show up without concern of prejudice.
The goal of equity and social impact work at Drew is:
Drew's inclusive community is made up of diverse people and allows every single person to show up and be their authentic selves. Equity and social impact work at Drew fosters an environment in which equity and respect for others are core and where you can show up without concern of prejudice.
The goal of equity and social impact work at Drew is:
- To allow students to learn about themselves as multifaceted individuals.
- To learn about and how to respect the differences and similarities of others.
- To be able to broaden awareness about the world and how it interconnects with one's own life.
- To develop cultural competency.
- To build a community of trust, honesty, openness, dialogue, and respect here at Drew.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
In order to allow for our mission to empower student voice and maximize impact, the Drew community is committed to equity, representation, and social justice* that is grounded in a community of care. We bring these values to life through curriculum and programs that promote respect and belonging.** Drew’s approach reflects our belief that social justice work is grounded in appreciation for, expression of, and attention to each person’s intersecting identities.By creating an inclusive environment without tolerance of discrimination, Drew provides the opportunity for continuous challenge and growth. We hold ourselves accountable to these values through our policies and practices.
**Belonging: “More than just being seen or feeling included, belonging entails having a voice and the opportunity to use it to make demands upon society and political institutions. Belonging is more than having access; it is about the power to co-create the structures that shape a community.” (from “Redefining Who Belongs”--The Othering and Belonging Institute)
*Social Justice: A process, not an outcome, which (1) seeks fair (re)distribution of resources, opportunities, and responsibilities; (2) challenges the roots of oppression and injustice; (3) empowers all people to exercise self-determination and realize their full potential; (4) and builds social solidarity and community capacity for collaborative action.--Center for the Study of Social Policy
**Belonging: “More than just being seen or feeling included, belonging entails having a voice and the opportunity to use it to make demands upon society and political institutions. Belonging is more than having access; it is about the power to co-create the structures that shape a community.” (from “Redefining Who Belongs”--The Othering and Belonging Institute)
What do these practices look like at Drew, and how do they reflect the school’s mission?
The commitments in Drew’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are both aspirational and real. They are aspirational because they reflect Drew School’s very real commitments. However, we are not yet “all the way there;” we work towards these aspirations daily. Our commitments are real because our movement towards these goals is reflected in our policies and practices and is woven into our professional development. In these ways, we are consistently deepening our understanding and getting closer to our goals for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
List of 3 items.
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Equity
Courageous Conversation About Race:- Faculty and Staff: Over 20 hours of training and discussion about personal and professional experiences with race.
- Small group discussions
- Affinity group sessions.
- Student discussions in the Courageous Conversation about Race Protocol.
Faculty and Staff Professional Development:- Regular professional development focused on equity and inclusion.
Learning Support, such as:- Learning Plans
- Differentiated instruction
- Herbst Learning Center
Financial aid program:- Supports student engagement in all parts of the Drew experience.
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Representation
An integrated approach to mental health across the school.- Bring Change to Mind steering committee and club
- Annual Mental Health Summit
- Focus on Intersections of identity and mental health.
A range of forms of expression:- Using voice, body, language to express in a variety of ways
- Arts and performance: sharing one’s ideas in the broader community
Curriculum:- Incorporation of content related to race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation into courses.
Experiential Education Program:- Encourages students to explore their range of interests and abilities.
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Social Justice
A focus on reflection:- Developing the understanding that every person has their own “why” that influences their engagement in the community.
- Encouraging authentic questions in classes
- Affinity groups
- Shanti Alliance
Advisory Program:- Identity, Equity and Social Justice are embedded throughout the advisory curriculum.
- Every student is seen and heard.
The Senior Project:- Empowers students to explore their own interests while exploring a social justice issue.
- Diversity, Identity, Justice, and Action integrated into Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings across the curriculum.
Overview
Parent OpportunitiesGuest Speaker and Community Building:
- 2 Parent/Guardian speaker events with Jason Craige Harris from Pollyanna:
- Race, Bias, and Microaggressions
- Gender Identity
Student Opportunities
3 Equity-focused Speaker Series led by Jason Craige Harris: Holding Brave Space, Race and Bias, and Gender Identity-
Student-led Affinity Groups hostingidentity-focused assemblies, cross-group collaborations, and leadership and performances in the 415
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9th and 10th grade DEIB seminars
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Served as student facilitators at the annual Shanti Alliance conference
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DEIB Student Partnership with Crystal Springs Uplands
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Faculty and Staff Opportunities
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2 Courageous Conversations About Race Sessions
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1 Gender-focused training with Gender Spectrum
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1 Training focused on Microaggressions and bias
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People of Color Conference (3 days)
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Shanti Alliance Conference (3 days)
Affinity Groups
Drew builds community by intentionally devoting space and time for students to connect with peers linked by a common background, interest, or purpose through affinity groups.
Whether it’s based on cultural and ethnic background, nationality, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion or creed, ability/disability, learning difference, age or generation, beliefs and values, or attitudes and opinions, these groups provide students space to explore and share issues of identity.
Whether it’s based on cultural and ethnic background, nationality, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion or creed, ability/disability, learning difference, age or generation, beliefs and values, or attitudes and opinions, these groups provide students space to explore and share issues of identity.
List of 8 items.
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Asian American and Pacific Islander
AAPI provides Drew's Asian American and Pacific Islander students a safe space to share their experiences, discuss issues related to race and identity, and explore the many different cultures of their roots in Asia and the Pacific Islands. -
Black Student Union
Black Student Union provides black students at Drew a safe space to be able to speak openly and honestly about the challenges they face both within the school and beyond. -
Boys to Men
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Drew Jew Crew
The Drew Jew Crew celebrates and honors the rich religious, historical, and cultural traditions of Judaism. In addition to providing an affinity space for Jewish-identifying students, the Jew Crew sometimes celebrates these traditions with the entire Drew student community. -
Gender and Sexuality Awareness
Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) is a safe space for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities to discuss LGBTQ+ issues. -
Latinos Unidos
Latinos Unidos provides students with a safe space to celebrate, cultivate, and promote awareness of their Spanish-speaking cultural heritage. -
Mixed (Multiracial) Student Union Affinity Group
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Women's Group
Women’s Group is a safe space for self-identified women to meaningfully engage with their individual and shared experiences.
Self-Reported Racial/Ethnic Groups 2020-2021
List of 8 items.
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52.3%
White -
19.8%
Latinx/Hispanic American -
23.3%
Asian American -
26.7%
Multiracial -
7%
Black/African American -
2.3%
Middle Eastern American -
3.5%
Native American -
2.3%
Pacific Islander American
Equity Leadership Team
List of 11 members.
Experience What High School Should Be
An independent, nonsectarian, coeducational college preparatory school serving grades 9–12 where teenagers’ questions, self-expression, and high ambitions are respected, supported, and at the center of the experience.
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