Task Force and Goals

List of 3 frequently asked questions.

• Important Definitions

  Diversity - Plurality of perspectives and differences
  Sierra Canyon values diversity in every aspect of school life. We recognize and respect that all individuals are unique, bringing with them their own personal traits, perspectives and experiences including, but not limited to, ability and health (mental and/or physical), age, ethnicity, family composition, gender, learning style, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. A diverse community built upon mutual respect appreciates and celebrates each other’s differences as well as learns and grows from them.
  
  Equity - Fairness of treatment and access
  Different from equality, which is the state of being equal. Equity levels the playing field by understanding and addressing each person’s unique situation, not in the same way, but in a way that is necessary and applicable to that individual. Equitable practices ensure that all students, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, etc., have access to school resources and opportunities.
  
  Inclusion - Culture of belonging 
  The creation of a school culture that is welcoming and accessible to every student, parent, and teacher. Inclusion requires treating people of different backgrounds and lived experiences with appreciation, dignity, and respect, giving everyone space and opportunity to participate and be heard.
  
  Social Justice - Full and equitable participation 
  The belief that everyone is entitled to equitable rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment in order to fully participate in society. Each of us at Sierra Canyon School has a personal responsibility to respect and work with others with the shared goal of creating a compassionate, just, and equitable learning environment. We are hopeful that through a commitment to social justice our students and faculty are propelled to action, making a positive difference in local, national, and global communities.

• DEI Task Force Members

  Rayan Ansari –  Student

  Lola Barris – Student

  Delaya Beard – Faculty

  Shad Bello – Student

  Hutch Bibby – Faculty

  Charlene Boudreaux – Trustee, Former Parent

  Steve Burnett – Administration

  Amy Calvert – Administration, Parent

  Sandy Chan – Faculty

  Andre Chevalier – Faculty, Former Parent

  Tamiko Davis – Trustee, Parent

  Tracy Fadin – Faculty

  Jenny Hernández – Administration, Faculty

  Adam Horwitz – Administration, Parent

  Tom Keller – Administration, Parent

  Lindsay Koss – Administration

  Shayne La Chapelle – Trustee, Parent

  Dr. Sun Lee – Faculty

  Morgan May – Faculty, Administration

  Alanna Marcelletti – Faculty

  Lauren Morrow – Faculty

  Deborah Monroe – Administration, Parent

  Frankie Mosely – Student

  Aara Nanavaty – Student

  Kendall Pillsbury – Staff, Parent

  Abdullah Rafique – Student

  Laura Reardon-Childs – Faculty

  Dave Rotblat – Student

  Stephanie Rubin – Administration, Parent

  Mana Sadeghi – Student

  Noah Salamon – Administration, Faculty, Parent

  Mark Servé – Faculty, Parent

  Rehani Slipock – Faculty, Parent

  Amy Trell – Administration

  Nick Waddles – Trustee

  Dr.  Emily Weisberg – Faculty

  Deborah Whitlock-Trotter – Faculty

• DEI Task Force Committees

  Faculty and Student Training and Support
  This committee’s goals are to define areas in daily school life where faculty, students and staff need more awareness, understanding and engagement in order to advance the DEI mission. Find and facilitate workshops and speakers to inform and train faculty, staff and students. Find speakers that are well versed in multiple grade levels including our youngest students. Explore new ways to affirm different cultures on our campuses. Set up “safe spaces” for students and faculty to discuss issues related to DEI and current events.
  
  

  Parent Association Diversity Committee
  The Sierra Canyon Parent’s Association has organized a DEI committee for parents, co-chaired by two Sierra Canyon trustees, which identifies ways, through PA sponsored programming, for Sierra Canyon to raise awareness of diversity and inclusiveness at school while highlighting the experiences and cultures of our Trailblazer families. Parents from both Lower and Upper Campuses are invited to participate.
  
  Website and Resources Committee
  This committee focuses on creating and updating a DEI webpage which highlights the goals and initiatives of Sierra Canyon’s DEI Task Force and its smaller committees, student clubs, organizations and affinity groups, and serves as an on-going resource for thought-provoking books, articles, and podcasts on topics such as implicit bias, how to be anti-racist, inclusive practices in schools, gender and identity, white privilege, and social justice.
  
  Lower and Upper Campus Curriculum and Programming Committees
  Upper Campus Curriculum Committee serves to continually review what and how content and skills have been taught relevant to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion and subsequently advise the administration to consider relevant and substantive changes to the curriculum. The group has conducted an audit of all their respective departmental curricula including texts, authors, movements, historical figures, et al. in order to delineate its current scope and sequence. After thoughtful deliberation, changes are already underway. As an example, after immediate research and collaboration, the department selected more poets and authors of color for the 2020 – 2021 school year, increasing the diversity of what was already a well-represented list of literary works.
  
  Voices for Change Mission Statement
  SC Voices for Change is a student-created and student-run club dedicated to promoting a culture of inclusivity and tolerance within our community. We are dedicated to advancing all causes that help increase diversity, inclusivity, and equity. We arrange the invitation of guest speakers to address the student body, engage in fundraising ventures, run awareness campaigns, and promote our agenda through countless other activist methods while working with the administration to uphold our school's core values. We aspire to be agents of change on- and off-campus, and in doing so, hope to improve not only our school and our community but also ourselves. Any student or alumnus/alumna who is interested in advancing the cause is encouraged to join. Together we will accomplish great things.