St. Paul's School Concord NH

doschicos
Thu, 25 Jun 2020 19:15:09 +0000

To the Members of the St. Paul’s School Community,

The recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have once again required our country and our School to re-examine the pervasive role of racism and its impact on people of color and our society.

As Trustees, we hail from a variety of backgrounds, races, ethnicities, nationalities, and faiths. We are White, African-American, Asian, Latinx, and mixed race. We are alumni, past parents, and parents and grandparents of current students. We affirm that all Black Lives Matter, and we are united in our desire to create an institution in which everyone feels seen, respected, and empowered.

We have heard the voices of our current Sixth Form Officers and read the stories of the many courageous students and alumni who shared their experiences through the @BlackatSPS Instagram account. They have helped to surface harrowing stories of racism and isolation that undermine our commitment to inclusivity. We see you, we hear you, and we are committed to change.

Every student, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or politics, should be able to walk the Millville grounds knowing they belong. It is clear, and Rector Giles has duly acknowledged that we have a long way to go to reach our goal.

As a Board, we recognize that we should not be judged by our words but by our actions and measurable results. Supporting Rector Giles in her efforts to create a more equitable and welcoming community, we are accountable not only to the faculty and the students but also to the moral imperative of protecting the basic human rights of all. We take seriously the directive issued by the current Sixth Form Officers: “Let us all live up to the values of our School.”

Below, please find a list of the initiatives that have been informed by student and alumni feedback and undertaken by Rector Giles, the School’s faculty and staff, and this Board of Trustees.

As a School, we are committed to:

• Moving forward on the recommendations of the 2017 Strategic Initiative Task Force on Inclusivity and Access in the areas of admissions, faculty hiring, and access for all students to the SPS experience. We will update these recommendations for the 2020-21 school year, including students, faculty, and staff in this work led by the Dean of Equity and Inclusion.
• Hiring/retaining a counselor of color.
• Further incorporating anti-racism and anti-institutional racism work into our Living in Community “LINC” curriculum and meetings.
• Developing a “reporting” protocol for microaggressions that includes students, faculty, and staff access and clear consequences for intentional misconduct.
• Identifying and supporting dedicated interfaith meeting and worship space on the grounds.
• Identifying and supporting dedicated affinity group space. We will compensate faculty advisers to affinity groups, as well as develop job descriptions and a council that can coordinate work.
• Requiring annual professional training and development for faculty and staff on diversity, equality, and inclusion work.
• Supporting professional development for faculty as teachers, advisers, house parents, and coaches to strengthen their work with and support of students of color.
• Continuing to explore and work on the challenges to support and retain faculty of color.
• Exploring ways to break down barriers to access, in addition to the new admission officers, people of color whose assignments specifically include seeking out applicants from underrepresented communities.
• Removing barriers to access by going test-optional in our admission process and removing any application fees for the 2021-22 year.

We appreciate the thoughts and experiences many of you have shared with the School and will continue this dialogue and our work as a school community.

Sincerely yours,

Board of Trustees, St. Paul’s School