Diversity & Inclusion

We invite students of all backgrounds to be part of our community. In keeping with our Episcopal identity, we respect everyone, affirming not only their value as people -- and as members of our community -- but also the value of their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs. This create a culture of dialogue in and out of the classroom and raises the level of discourse, helping to form citizens of the world who are culturally competent and can work collaboratively to address complex challenges. 

 

Diversity and multicultural themes are incorporated into the early childhood curriculum through guidance classes, Weekly Reader (K), Clifford Magazine (Pre-K), author study, children's literature, classroom books, posters, and dolls, representing our beautifully diverse world. Within a safe learning community, our children are encouraged to ask questions and offer their answers, providing a sense of ownership of their learning experiences. 

 

Our resources over themes like recognizing similarities and differences, belonging and empathy. Students learn about cultural and religious celebrations around the world and explore family traditions and values. 

 

In lower school valuing similarities and differences, respecting different perspectives and practicing kindness and empathy are embedded in everyday interactions with teachers and peers. 

 

Through their daily study of social studies, language arts, foreign language, the arts and guidance, among other subjects, students build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, cultural awareness and compassion, as well as an understanding of who they are within a larger community. 

 

Multicultural Book Nook Teacher/Student Resource

The St. Martin's Multicultural Book Nook is a shared instructional resource for all teachers. Here teachers can reserve books that are about everyone and for everyone. The books are carefully curated around social-emotional learning, cultural competency, and social justice in various reading levels to support read-alouds, guided reading and independent reading. 

St. Martin's faulty and staff are encouraged to attend conferences that further equip them to advance the mission of inclusion in their curricula, classrooms and workspaces. These regularly include the White Privilege Conference, the People of Color Conference sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and workshops and conferences offered by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES). 

The Inclusivity Series

The Inclusivity Series provides St. Martin's faculty and staff with in-house diversity enrichment. Each workshop allows faculty to explore topics in an ongoing, additive developmental way to improve teaching and leadership practices through self-reflection and critical analysis. 

Multicultural Education Committee (MEC) 

An internal committee, chaired by our Director of Diversity and Inclusion, meets regularly to discuss and review the policies and procedures that are in place to promote the principles of diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice. 

 

In the classroom, the CAFE Program provides one-to-one coaching sessions for Early Childhood, Elementary and Middle School teachers to examine and enhance their curriculum through the lens of racial literacy, social justice, culturally responsive teaching and equity. 

St. Martin's Civic Dinners 

Civic Dinners are a way to bring people together around structured conversation.  With three big questions, community members gather and discuss an issue that matters to the community.

 

Launched in 2021 with an inaugural dinner centering on the subject of Belonging, the St. Martin's Civic Dinners are a way to bring people together around structured conversion topics. Sessions pose three big questions for participants to discuss around a key community issue as they break beard together. 

 

The concept of diversity embraces a wide range of human characteristics used to mark or identify individual and group identities. These characteristics include but are not limited to, ethnicity, race, national origin, age, personality, sexual orientation, gender, class, religion, ability and linguistic preferences.  

 

Cultural competency is the application of a defined set of values, principles, skills, attitudes, policies and behaviors that enables individuals and groups to work effectively across cultures. Cultural competence is an evolving developmental process. It is defined as having the capacity to (1) value diversity, (2) conduct self-assessment, (3) manage the dynamics of difference, (4) acquire and apply cultural knowledge and (5) adapt to diversity and the cultural contexts of the communities in which one lives and works. 

 

Equity refers to the practice of creating a culture that provides resources and opportunities for all members of our St. Martin's community to experience fair and reasonable treatment while acknowledging historical, institutional, structural and societal inequalities. 

 

Inclusion is the practice of providing opportunities for all St. Martin's community members to experience a sense of belonging, connection, security, acceptance and value. It encompasses all and takes into account every individual's experience and identity, creating conditions where all feel accepted, safe, empowered, supported and affirmed.  

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is the presence of many distinctive cultures and the manifestation of cultural components (language, values, religion, race, communication styles, etc.) in a given setting. Multiculturalism promotes understanding of, and respect for cultural differences and celebrates them as a source of community strength.

Social Justice
Social justice means equal rights and equitable opportunities for all.