Diversity

• Nearly 40% of students enrolled for the 2010-11 school year self-identify as students of color.
• Currently, 38% of faculty and staff identify as people of color.
• RDS maintains membership with Bay Area POCIS (People of Color in Independent Schools) and the National SEED Project (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity).
• Members of our faculty and staff regularly participate in the NAIS/POCC (People of Color Conference) and the NAIS Summer Diversity Institute.
• Teacher in-services regularly include diversity awareness training.
• Identity groups in Lower School and a Middle School diversity club deepen students understanding of diversity in their own experience.
• Our Diversity Strategic Plan charts our course for deepening our diversity work even further.

Our mission statement captures the importance of diversity at  RDS in three words: “diverse, inclusive community.” We refer to these three words on a regular basis in interactions with students in and out of the classroom, always pushing and inviting them to look at different perspectives. We want our community members to develop the habit of trying on others’ worldview, whether in a discussion of US history or during a playground interaction – the ability to see the other person’s perspective is both an emotional act of empathy and an intellectual exercise of momentarily letting go of your own perspective. The result of these interactions is a respect for and an appreciation of difference of all kinds.

In both divisions, respect for diversity and the appreciation of other viewpoints is practiced in a variety of ways and on a regular basis. In Lower School, teachers regularly feature discussions of different family histories and family composition, as well as celebrations of a diverse range of traditions. Day-to-day learning always includes a multicultural perspective. Our Middle School humanities program was developed with an eye to exposure to a variety of world cultures, religions, and perspectives. Students engage in active conversations to better understand culture and its relative context in their own lives, discovering how cultural awareness plays a role in government policies and societal behavior and exploring the nuanced relationship between the powerful and the powerless throughout history. Our Diversity Spotlights present samples of our ongoing diversity work at all grade levels and subjects, whether infused into curriculum or arising from teachable moments.

Diversity is a central part of our admissions process as we seek to enroll a student body that represents our larger community: racially, ethnically, economically, religiously, in addition to a range of abilities, talents, and family compositions. As adults, we strive to provide appropriate role models who represent a wide range of ethnic diversity, a range of backgrounds, sexual orientation, and gender balance. We also provide a balance of diverse role models through guest speakers and featured presenters  at weekly all-school assemblies. We are fortunate to have an active parent and guardian diversity committee, Prism, that works to provide and enhance diverse perspectives and understanding within the RDS community.