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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Dear Friends,

In an age of global interconnection, San Domenico is committed to promoting respect for all forms of diversity and teaching our students how to be advocates for social, racial, and environmental justice. The School seeks to expand K-12 student understanding of the guiding principles of diversity, equity and inclusion.

As Director of DEI, and after many years in independent schools and roles that encompassed the classroom to the office, my vision and ultimate purpose is clear. It is a vision that invites all students of all races, socioeconomic levels, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, differing family structures, and religions/beliefs to take part and be a member of San Domenico’s community and extensive history!

This year, students participated in several DEI events including the SDLC at PoCC, the SDLG at Harker School in the south bay and the Pollyanna conference held in the city.

  • The SDLC (Student Diversity Leadership Conference) for students, "focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community... [and] participating students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles."
     
  • The SDLG (Student Diversity Leadership Group), was a gathering of bay area students to have space to reflect on their own experiences and the experiences of others as they “explored identity, developed cross-cultural communication skills, examined strategies for the practice of social justice and practiced the foundations of ally-ship and networking principles.”
     
  • The Pollyanna Conference was a unique experience in which the participants from our school represented many roles. We had two trustees, three middle schoolers, two teachers, one parent/guardian, and two administrators attend this event. The focus of the day was implicit bias, unpacking the concept and brainstorming with local constituents and then with one’s school group. We discussed ways in which to raise awareness around and combat implicit bias.

In our Upper School, we have many active clubs including one for Social Justice as well as several identity-based clubs: BSU (Black Student Union), ASA (Asian Student Association), Latino League, QSU (Queer Student Union).

I feel so fortunate and much gratitude that I am supporting DEI work at San Domenico! It allows me to work with students of many ages, our educators, families, and K-12 programming in a quest to enrich and deepen each person’s connection to our school and community drawing from the guiding principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Please feel free to contact me any time with questions or ideas. 

All the best,

Kali Baird
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Non-Discrimination Statement: A Community of Belonging

In keeping with our mission and core values of study, reflection, community, and service, San Domenico is a community of belonging where students, staff, and families are dedicated to inclusion and respect for all. The school affirms the dignity of every student.

It is the policy of San Domenico to provide an educational environment in which all students are treated with respect and which is free from all forms of harassment and discrimination. The school prohibits harassment and discrimination based on a student’s actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability, or because they are associating with others with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Harassment, including sexual harassment, of any student by any other student or adult is prohibited and will not be tolerated.

Furthermore, the school prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports, or cooperates in the investigation of, an incident of harassment or discrimination.

Mission Driven

A core component of our mission is to respond to the needs of the times, and today more than ever before, that means recognizing our global interconnection. With both day and boarding students, our community is comprised of individuals from more than 19 different countries. SD students and families therefor represent a wide spectrum of cultures, identities, and backgrounds, all of whom make our community stronger, smarter, wiser, and better able to fulfill our vision of graduating students who go forth to shape a better world.

Ask the Hard Questions

At SD, we encourage and develop the art of respectful inquiry and this permeates all areas of our program, including DEI work. We have the hard conversations and with a global student body, we hear many different perspectives. We may not be able to do or be everything we want yet, but we continue to work toward the just and peaceful world we envision.

Our faculty and staff seek out opportunities and channels to increase community awareness of, and support for, diversity and respect among all beings.

Systems Thinking

We recognize that as a system, we are stronger than any one individual. Our admissions team works to create a more diverse student and parent body, who then enrich one another's lives by sharing their backgrounds and cultures. Our ethics, philosophy, world religions, and service learning curriculum encourage an understanding of our global interconnectedness. Students bring their ideas and questions to the campus, the classroom, and the School's leadership. Together we strive for peace, sustainability, and equity.

Connect with Us

Please contact us dei@sandomenico.org with any questions, concerns, and/or ideas.

San Domenico is a community of belonging where students, staff, and families are dedicated to inclusion and respect for all.

DEI OVERVIEW

In 2016, San Domenico formed its first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. Since then, faculty, staff, and students are working on campus, around the Bay Area, and on the national level at the NAIS People of Color Conference (PoCC) to listen, learn, and better live out our mission to celebrate diversity and respond with integrity to the needs and challenges of our time. In 2019, Kali Baird became our first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, after having chaired the DEI Committee for several years.

View the Timeline below to see highlights of our DEI work over the last few years as well as upcoming work.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Chileta Egonu '21

Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator

Zidane Zamorano '22

SD Representative and Head of Development for the Bay Area Students of Color Committee for Diversity and Equity Council

Joyce Kim '22

SD Representative and Head of Development for the Bay Area Students of Color Committee for Diversity and Equity Council

COLLABORATION & PARTNERSHIP

Organizations we partner with in Equity work include:

TO SHARE your perspective or any current or past concerns, as well as ideas for ways in which we can better build and serve a diverse and inclusive SD community, please contact us at dei@sandomenico.org.