Guiding Principles
Wildwood School Diversity Mission Statement
Wildwood School is a dynamic community of culturally and racially diverse families and educators. Wildwood honors individual differences and creates conditions where all can feel safe, accepted, and empowered. Our healthy exchange of perspectives and experiences cultivates compassionate, effective change makers.
(Developed by Diversity Task Force, May 2017)
Wildwood is a vibrant home in the world where students, teachers, and families can come together in a mutually supportive community of individuals and collaborators who are committed to being ethical global citizens.
We’re diverse in our community, equitable in our practices, inclusive in our values. Our goal is for every member of our extended school family to be empowered by a shared sense of belonging.
We continually evaluate our policies and initiatives toward maintaining and expanding the diverse, equitable, and inclusive community we have been committed to since the school's founding in 1971.
Elementary School
Illuminating “Hidden Figures”
Fifth grade students connect visual arts to science, math, and history as they shine a spotlight on innovators whose contributions to society may have been overlooked due to gender and race.
Courageous Conversation Compass
The Courageous Conversation Compass is a personal navigational tool to guide Wildwood community members through conversations about race, which can be applicable to other areas of identity, as well as challenging conversations in generaI. Developed as part of the Courageous Conversation About Race Protocol®, it helps us understand how we are entering into these conversations, as well as recognizing how others are approaching the conversation.
The Four Quadrants of the Compass are:
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Emotional (feeling): responding to information through feelings (when racial issues strike us at a physical level and causes an internal sensation such as anger, sadness, joy, or embarrassment).
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Intellectual (thinking): response to a racial issue or information may be characterized by personal disconnect with subject or to search for more information or data. Our intellectual response is often verbal and based in our best thinking.
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Moral (believing): responding from a deep-seated belief that relates to the racial information or event. Justifications of one’s moral views may be seated in the “gut” and may not be verbally articulated.
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Relational (acting): connecting and responding to racial information through actions and behaviors.
Multicultural Guidelines
Successful outcomes across cultural differences are more likely to occur when agreed upon guiding principles are used. The principles below, adapted from VISIONS, Inc., an organization that has informed Wildwood’s DEIB programming, shape classroom discussions, community events, curriculum, and life at Wildwood.
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It’s okay to disagree—not okay to blame or shame self or others
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Be aware of intent and impact
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Practice self-focus
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Practice “both/and” thinking
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Maintain confidentiality
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Notice process and content
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“Try on”—lean into discomfort and take risks
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Approach with a beginner’s mind
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Allow for parking lot options
DEIB FAQs
- What does diversity look like at Wildwood?
- How many students of color are enrolled at Wildwood?
- How many faculty and staff of color are at Wildwood?
- How does Wildwood School define “diversity”?
- Does Wildwood have any official policies or plans on DEIB?
- Will my student be able to be their authentic self and thrive?
- How can my student get involved?
- How can parents become involved in Wildwood’s DEIB efforts?
- What is the role of the Director of Equity and Inclusion?
- What resources do you recommend?
- What organizations have we worked with?