Equity is at the core of inclusion.
At our school, inclusion means more than being in a shared space. It means belonging, dignity, and joy for every child and family.
We welcome and affirm all identities across race, disability, gender, culture, language, and family structure, because every staff member, child, and family deserves to feel seen, safe, and celebrated.
We can’t truly create an inclusive community without actively working toward equity. Our classrooms reflect a wide range of identities, experiences, and ways of being, and we are committed to building a place where everyone is valued, cared for, and able to learn in community.
Our equity work is rooted in our school values: We value everyone. We take care of ourselves and each other. We take care of our school. We keep learning. These values guide how we partner with families and community, design and modify our curriculum, and support one another. We honor children’s voices, identities, and choices, and we are working to move away from approaches that try to control children’s behavior or make them conform, and instead focus on understanding and affirming who they are.
When we’re included, we want to be included into a worthwhile space. Inclusion without equity too often reproduces the same systems that marginalize disabled children, Black and brown children, and families. That’s why we focus on equity as an active, ongoing practice. Some ways we do this are through monthly equity staff discussions, bringing an anti-bias approach to the classrooms, creating space for identity exploration, uplifting disabled voices and knowledge, and striving to make our classrooms reflect and celebrate the communities we serve.
Our goal isn’t perfection. Our goal is growth, reflection, and collective care. A better, more inclusive, and caring world is possible, and we’re building it with children, families, and one another every day.
